Leading all the way, Smit claims victory despite poor conditions | Hawkes Bay Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Hawkes Bay

Twelve months ago, Canterbury middle distance runner Angela Smit was forced to make one of those career-defining decisions.

Should she pursue a teacher's training course or should she study at university which will allow her more time to run.

Smit, 19, opted for the latter.

At Saturday night's Sylvia Potts Classic meeting in Hastings, which doubled as the first round in the national Grand Prix Series, Smit had another key decision to make - whether or not to adopt a start-to-finish lead approach in her quest to repeat last year's win in the feature event: the Oxenham Family Sylvia Potts Memorial 800m.

Smit went with the approach and it paid off. She won in 2m9.06s, comfortably beating Aussie under-20 champion, Jenny Blundell, 16, who clocked 2m9.69s and fellow Cantabrian Hannah Newbould with 2m11.71s.

"I was pretty stoked with that win and time considering the miserable weather conditions and it's only the start of the busy part of the season for me," said Smit.

A second-year psychology student at Canterbury University, Smit raced at last year's junior world championships in Canada. She finished fifth in her semifinal and didn't match her personal best time.

"I was disappointed with that effort but you can't fix what has already gone ... you just have to try and improve in your next outings which is what I'm doing," said Smit.

She will give tomorrow night's second round in the Grand Prix Series, the Cooks Classic in Palmerston North a miss, but will compete in Friday night's third round, the Capital Classic in Wellington.

Some international events in Australia are also on her schedule and, if her form warrants, Smit may also tackle some events in Europe.

Coached by Maria Hassan, Smit intends to return to the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park for next year's Sylvia Potts Classic.

"Hopefully I can make it three wins in a row and I want to get that extra money which has eluded me in my two wins to date," said Smit.

She was referring to the fact she will receive $400 on top of her first prize of $300 if she can run under 2m04s; Sylvia Potts personal best.

Blundell was part of a 13-strong Australian contingent. Seventeen-year-old Nicholas Hough, a Youth Olympics 110m hurdling champion, celebrated his first appearance in New Zealand with a 100m winning time of 10.96s.

"My best time is 10.61s and I want to go under 10.60s while I'm in New Zealand doing the series here.

"Hopefully we get some better weather and some bigger crowds which will create an atmosphere I can achieve that in," said Hough.

"That Youth Olympics success in Singapore last year has set me up with an athletics career. This is my last year at school and I'm eyeing Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games in the future."

Other Aussies to impress included Kim Mulhall who completed a women's discus-shot put double with throws of 50.67m and 13.94m respectively and Michelle Jenneke, 17, who won the women's 100m hurdles in 14.95s.

Two Hawke's Bay athletes won open titles: sprinter Emma Blake in the 100 metres with a time of 13.02s and high jumper Emma Sutherland with a 1.71m effort.

Their Hastings clubmate Sarah Karika did well to finish third in the 100m in 13.44s.

Another Hastings athlete, Sarah Flynn, picked up third placings in the 400m and 100m hurdles with respective times of 60.68s and 17.11s. Napier 12-year-old Hannah Delamere finished third in the open shot put with a 7.75m effort.

Host club high jumper Ben Harrison was third with a 1.80m jump and Hastings walker Graeme Jones was third.

National 1500m champion Hamish Carson displayed his class with a winning time of 3m54.72s well ahead of Aussie Alex Rowe who clocked 3m56.99s.