ATHLETICS: Assumption College student Jack Bannister has won gold and silver in throwing events at the Oceania Athletics Championships in Cairns.

He was joined in the Australian team at the championships by Scots PGC student Emily Bass who won gold and bronze.

Bannister from Allora threw 50.17m to win the under-18 discus against a field of athletics from across Australia, New Zealand and Pacific nations.

The competition was for senior and U18 athletics from the Oceania area.

He won by four metres in discus to secure his first international gold medal.

Bannister was third in discus in this year's nationals in Sydney in the U18 age group.

In hammer, he bettered his personal best by one metre to win silver in hammer with a throw 53.60m yesterday, 60cm behind the winner.

His winning throw in discus was with his first attempt and his best in hammer was with his third but he did throw two longer distances but fouled.

At times, he trains with the Australian open throwing medallist Matthew Denny on the Denny throwing circle at Allora.

Emily Bass set a new Oceania Athletics Championships record in the 400m hurdles in Cairns yesterday.

The championships were organised by the International Amateur Athletics Federation in conjunction with athletics nations in Oceania.

Early in the championships, she won bronze in the 100m hurdles.

Bass will now turn her attention to sevens rugby as she travels overseas to compete in a team which includes some members with international open experience with Australia and England.

She is a member of the Reds Academy and has the chance to push her claims for Australian open selection in the years to come.