Central's up and coming young athletes showcased their many talents when the Colgate Games returned to the South Island last week.

Twenty three young athletes from Alexandra Athletics Club travelled to Dunedin for the event, which took place from January 11 to 14 at the Caledonian grounds.

The event, which is regarded one of the country's largest annual children's athletics meets, attracted 1000 athletes, aged from seven to 14, from the South Island, the North Island and Australia.

This year’s team from Alexandra was three times larger than last time, reflecting the club's growth, a well-supported team and the proximity of the event.

Team manager Kate Groundwater said she was delighted with participation, attributing it to community support.

A grant from Aotearoa Gaming Trust also played an important role in facilitating the team’s attendance.

Alexandra Athletics club coach Alan Hamilton was among those who attended the event to support the team.

He said encouraging participation, having fun and exploring different disciplines before specialisation was important for youngsters.

Five of the club's athletes aged 11-13 were finalists across nine events.

Zoe Reinds secured the gold medal in the girls high jump with a jump of 1.45m, showcasing remarkable skill despite challenging weather conditions.

Zoe jumped her way to a gold. PHOTO: Image Central

Kiri Morgan claimed a silver medal in the discus with a personal best of 27.67m, and Mayson Kingi earned a bronze in the high Jump with a jump of 1.45cm.

Pictured (from left) are Kiri Morgan and Stacey Karawana (Hill City University Dunedin) with their medals for discus. PHOTO: Image Central 

Alan Hamilton and Mayson Kingi at Caledonian Track on day one of the games. PHOTO: Image Central 

The younger age groups demonstrated their talent with a third position in the nine-year-old boys' four  x 100m relay, where three eight-year-olds ran in an older category.

Alan Hamilton said he was proud of the the team’s performance and thrilled to see the resurgence of interest in athletics locally. 

The club thanked the community, sponsors and Aotearoa Gaming Trust for their support, contributing to the squads success at the games. 

The club trains on Monday nights at Molyneux Park. For more information see the Alexandra Athletics Club Central App listing.