Mia Pearson (left) and Sophie Adams both broke long standing records at the Ashburton College athletics finals. Photo Jaime Pitt-MacKayA cloud of dust has stirred from the Ashburton College athletic records books as two long-standing records fell last Thursday.

Mia Pearson and Sophie Adams were the young athletes to re-write history, breaking the 28-year-old under 14 girls’ high jump and under 15 girls’ shot put records respectively.

Pearson narrowly snuck over the previous record, jumping 1.46m, one centimetre higher than Charlotte Sim’s record of 1.45m, which was set in 1989.

Adams secured her new record in a far more comfortable fashion, with her largest throw eclipsing the 10 metre mark at 10.61m.

The previous holder, Julia Fruean, threw 9.69m, a distance which Adams threw past three times.

Both have experience in the world of track and field.

Pearson has been training in athletics since she was five.

“High jump is one of the ones I train in regularly and is one of my favourites,” she said.

Despite breaking the record, it was not her personal best, having jumped 1.53m in the past.

“I’ve always done well in shot put since primary school,” said Adams.

She also did not trouble her personal best with her performance at the finals, having thrown 11.32m in the past.

The pair will now turn their attentions to the Aoraki Athletics in Timaru on Tuesday, with an eye on qualifying for the South Island competition, where finishing in the top five is a target for both.

By Jaime Pitt-MacKay © The Ashburton Guardian - 11 March 2017