The PSSA meet saw local students up to Year 6 take on the best from throughout the northern region.

All the students were competing for a place at the next level, the State athletic competition, at Homebush on October 28 and 29.

Derrick Vale, 10, from Macksville Public School, snared himself a place in the State team with a record-busting throw in the shotput.

He threw 10.73m in his best effort ever to eliminate the regional record and the competition in one go.

Derrick will also compete at State in the discus, after recording his best ever throw of 29.7m. He took the gold medal and finished a good two metres ahead of the nearest competitor at Lismore. He was coming fourth before his final throw.

Derrick is now getting in some last-minute training (he has never before been trained in throwing) before the State competition, and was looking forward to competiting in the biggest arena he had ever been in.

He will be joined by representatives of Nambucca Heads Primary School, Scotts Head Public School and Stuarts Point Public School.

Hope Eadie, twin sisters Mercedes and Savannah Peterkin and Shinae Urquhart will represent the North Coast in the four-by-100m relay for 11-year-olds after a successful run at the Lismore event.

Relay member Savannah Peterkin will also be going on to represent the area in the 11-year girls’ 100m dash and the long jump.

Savannah’s long jump effort was a personal best of 4.32m, while she finished third in the 100m after suffering in the heat.

She was forced to withdraw from the 200m final due to heat exhaustion, and will be on the reserve for the high jump with another personal best of 1.30m.

Chilla Beeby and Jaiden Walker from Scotts Head Public School have continued their strong results to secure their places at the homebush competition.

Chilla will take part in the 8-10-years high jump, while Jaiden will take part in the 12-13-years long jump and high jump.

Mikaela Donovan from Stuarts Point will go on to compete in the 8-10-years discus throw.