The 2026 Colgate Games were an outstanding weekend for Sumner Running Club, with our athletes delivering strong performances across all track and field events while proudly representing the club in Nelson.
With one of our larger travelling teams in recent years, Sumner athletes competed across all events, facing big fields and stronger competition. As always at Colgates, there were nerves, excitement, long days and tired legs – but also big smiles, personal bests and plenty of lessons learned along the way.
The weekend began strongly on Day 1, with Sumner athletes picking up three medals. Sam Freeman led the way with a gold medal in the Boys 11 800m, while Teana Panapa claimed bronze in the Girls 10 800m and Lyla Lawry added another bronze in the Girls 13 Long Jump. Several other athletes progressed through heats and finals, setting the tone for a successful weekend.
Days 2 and 3 saw the momentum continue, highlighted by Sumner’s strength in the relays. All four Sumner relay teams featured on the podium – a great reflection of teamwork, depth and a real team culture. The 11yo Boys 4x100m team took out gold, while podium finishes were also secured by the 11yo Mixed Medley (2nd), 9yo Girls 4x100m (2nd) and 14yo Girls 4x100m (3rd). The girls 14yo 4x100m team was a huge performance to – considering the team featured two 13yo, an 11yo and an injured 14yo.
There were also some excellent individual performances later in the meet. Lyla Lawry added a silver medal in the Girls 13yo High Jump, and Sam Freeman followed up his earlier success with a silver in the Boys 11yo 1500m. Teana Panapa narrowly missed the podium with a strong 4th place finish in the Girls 10yo Discus, while several athletes progressed through finals and semi-finals in sprint events. Our Grade 8/9 athletes also recorded a number of podium finishes, highlighting the depth developing within the club.
A special mention must go to our two 14-year-old athletes, Neve Majendie and Eli Dimbleby, who were competing at their final Colgate Games and led the team by example throughout the weekend. Unfortunately, Neve was carrying an injury and was unable to compete in many of her track events. Despite this, she played a key role in the Girls 14yo 4x100m relay, anchoring the team and running a spectacular final leg to lift the team into a bronze medal position. Eli also produced a standout performance in the Boys 14 800m, running a six-second personal best in a highly competitive race – a great reward for his work over the season.
Beyond the results, the most pleasing aspect of the weekend was the attitude and team spirit shown by all our athletes. Whether competing, supporting teammates or learning from challenging races, the Sumner athletes represented the club with pride.
A huge thank you goes to our coaches, managers and supporters who gave up their time to travel and support the team over the weekend. Getting our wee team to Colgates simply wouldn’t happen without the commitment of volunteers and families.
Congratulations to every athlete who pulled on the Sumner singlet – a fantastic Colgate Games campaign and a great foundation for the rest of the season.
Congrats to everyone in the Team ; what a fantastic effort. Energy creates Energy! Cheers Marty.
Many thanks Richie for this wonderful report