16 Tuesday <strong>June</strong> <strong>12</strong> <strong>2018</strong> Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi SPORTS Sprinter overcomes fear to win scholarship in US • By Jacob Page FORMER ST Margaret’s sprinter Jordyn Blake didn’t like the 400m distance when she first started. Now it’s got her a United States college scholarship. The 18-year-old will head to Loyola University Chicago and compete in its NCAA division one programme in August after impressing in her first season back from injury. She said she can see the funny side of her once least favourite distance now providing her with SPEEDSTER: Jordyn Blake has accepted a college scholarship to Loyola University Chicago and will leave in August. PHOTO: BLAKE FAMILY a great career opportunity. “I came to the sport quite late when I was <strong>12</strong>,” she said. “I was definitely a sprinter from the start but I refused to run the 400m for the first couple of years. “It’s ironic because it’s become my best event as I’ve got older and I was joking with dad that it’s probably the distance that’s got me the scholarship,” she said. The former South Island 200m age-group champion finished fourth in her heat at the Australian championships in march. Blake has taken 2sec off her personal best time in the 400m after returning from injury. “In January of 2016, I had a sore foot and I was getting physio on it every week and was being told it would come right so I kept competing and playing hockey on it as well,” she said. “By November, I had it x-rayed and it was discovered I had two NOR’WEST NEWS bones in my foot that were joined together from birth. “It’s very common but most people never discover it, but because I’d been competing on it for so long, I had a fracture.” During her six-month recovery, Blake said she was able to work on her technique with coach Jill Morrison, which has seen her run personal bests over all sprint distances in the last season. Blake said she gets nervous at the start of the 400m but believed it was all part of the love-hate relationship she has with it. “There’s nothing in the tank by the end of it, and I always like to get a fast start to let my competitors hear me coming up on them,” she said. Blake, who will study business marketing in Chicago, said she was looking forward to being able to compete <strong>12</strong> months of the year, which will include an indoor season. Heale gets national hockey call-up • By Jacob Page ST ALBANS’ Llewellyn Heale has turned the skills he learnt on a concrete tennis court with wooden sticks and a tennis ball into a New Zealand under-21 hockey call-up. It is the first time Heale has been part of a national squad, with 30 players selected for a camp in Hawkes Bay from July 16-20. That squad will be cut to a travelling squad for the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia in October before a test series against Australia in December. Heale, a midfielder, has captained teams throughout the agegrades and said he will relish the chance to be part of a national team environment. “It’s a really exciting opportunity to learn loads and I hope to make the most of it,” he said. The 19-year-old has come through the Canterbury agegroup system, playing Hatch Cup twice, under-15s, regionals and under-21s. The former Christ’s College captain moved to the Hornby club this season, eager to take on more responsibility. “Hornby gave me the best chance to be a leader and have the greatest impact on team success,” he said. Heale described himself as a pass-oriented player who likes to play at pace with vision up the field. Heale is one of seven Canterbury players in the squad with Louis Beckert, Lawrence Darling, Moss Jackson, Declan Keaney, Sam Lane, Harry Lawson and Gus Wakeling also part of the camp. The squad was selected following the national under-21 tournament in May where selectors put together the <strong>2018</strong> national programme with the main focus being the transtasman series at the end of the year. NATIONAL HONOURS: Llewellyn Heale has got his first national call-up with the New Zealand under-21 hockey squad. www.trainme.org.nz Gain NCEA Credits with the Ultimate career taster FREE * Enrolling NOW! FOR JULY START *Some conditions apply Txt ‘Ultimate’ to 027 557 8839 to find out more or phone 0800 872 466 50 Hazeldean Road Addington, Christchurch
NOR’WEST NEWS Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Tuesday <strong>June</strong> <strong>12</strong> <strong>2018</strong> 17 Get your tickets online and be in to win a $500 Resene gift voucher SPECIAL ONLINE TICKET PRICE $6 or 2 for $10 Door entry $8 Children under <strong>12</strong> FREE JUNE 29 – JULY 1 <strong>2018</strong> Horncastle Arena BOOK NOW: www.starhomeshow.kiwi Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10am-5pm
Change language