An exciting team of 11 athletes has been selected for the Commonwealth Youth Games athletics in Nassau, Bahamas in July.

The team will feature a number of New Zealand’s talented youngsters, including distance runners Hannah O’Connor and Katrina Robinson and throwers Connor Bell and Nick Palmer.

Hurdler / jumper Kayla Goodwin is the only athlete in the team with prior international experience, representing New Zealand last year at the Polynesian Under 18 Championships in Tahiti.

Distance athletes Nicholas Moulai and Isaiah Priddey are both named in the team after some great battles this season.

Throwers Tatiana Kaumoana and Mellata Tatola have also been named in their first NZ team, along with high jumper Imogen Skelton.

The team features three athletes from each of Auckland and Waikato and one athlete from each of Canterbury, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay, Wellington and one based in Australia.

Athletes aged 16 or 17 on 31 December 2017 were eligible for selection in the multi-sport team.

Tim Driesen (Team Leader) and Mike Ritchie (Coach) have been appointed to support the team.

Members of other sports will be named later this week.

Athletics team members:

Connor Bell                        Auckland                            Discus

Kayla Goodwin                 Hamilton                             Long Jump, 100m H

James Guthrie-Croft      Auckland                             100m, 200m

Tatiana Kaumoana          Te Aroha                              Discus

Nicholas Moulai               Christchurch                       1500m, 3000m

Hannah O’Connor           Taranaki                               1500m, 3000m

Nick Palmer                      Hawke’s Bay                       Shot

Isaiah Priddey                  Hamilton                             1500m, 3000m

Katrina Robinson             Australia based                 1500m, 3000m

Imogen Skelton               Wellington                         High Jump , 800m

Mellata Tatola                 Auckland                            Shot, Discus

End

Athletics New Zealand @AthleticsNZ

Main photo: Nick Palmer winning the NZ U18 Shot Put title at the NZ Track & Field Championships in Hamilton. Credit Alan McDonald Macspeedfoto.