Athletics New Zealand - Weekly update

 

IAAF Track Classic, Melbourne Olympic Park – 3 March 2011

Valerie Adams won the shot put at the Melbourne Track Classic meeting at the Olympic Park. Adams had the shot out to 20.13m, 20cm less than the New Zealand Allcomers and Resident record she set at Mt Smart Stadium on Sunday.

Adams holds the New Zealand national record of 21.07m set in Greece in 2009.

Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis could only manage fourth in the 1500m in 3m 38.76s. The race was won by Australian Jeffrey Riseley in 3m 36.71s, from Olympic gold medallist Asbel Kiprop of Kenya 3m 37.63s and American mile record holder Alan Webb 3m 37.82s. Malcolm Hicks was 13th in a huge personal best of 3m 42.84s.

James Mortimer of North Harbour was third in the 400m hurdles in a personal best 50.73s beating Michael Cochrane of Tauranga who recorded 51.05s. Daniel O’Shea was sixth in 51.62s.

Other New Zealand performances were Carl Van der Speck 8th 100m 10.78s (-0.1), Angie Smit 10th 800m 2m 5.88s, Andrea Koenen 8th 200m 24.33s (-0.4), Hannah Newbould 6th 1500m 4m 19.82s, Tom Walsh 4th shot put 17.47m, Rochelle Coster 8th 100m 12.41s (-1.1), Matthew Lack 3rd 100m wheelchair 15.86s (-0.5) and 3rd 400m wheelchair 51.01s.

 

Open Championships, Melbourne Olympic Park – 5 March 2011

Angela Smit of Christchurch won the 800m at the open meeting at Melbourne’s Olympic Park on Saturday. Smit recorded 2m 6.18s (heats 2m 9.63s) with fellow Canterbury runner Hannah Newbould finishing fourth in 2m 8.51s (heats 2m 9.63s). Shaun Krawitz won the 3000m steeplechase in 9m 3.83s. Other New Zealand placings were Andrea Koenen third in the 200m in 24.15s (-0.1) heats 24.57s (-1.6), Danielle Trevis third in the 5000m in 16m 13.90s and Fiona Crombie fifth in 16m 26.57s and Tom Walsh third in the shot put with 17.08m (17.08m, 17.00m, 16.36m, NT, NT, 17.07m). Nick Ash 49.02s heats 400m. Matthew Lack won the wheelchair 1500m and was second in the 200m and third in the 100m.

 

AUCKLAND

Battle of the Regions, Mt Smart Stadium – 5 March 2011

Fiona Morrison travelled north from her earthquake stricken city of Christchurch to compete at the Battle of the Regions meeting on Saturday.

Morrison was rewarded with a personal best 100m hurdles time of 14.12s (-0.4), clipping two hundredths of a second off her previous best.

She was in Auckland for a hurdles squad camp where her coach and sister Jill Morrison and fellow club member Kelsey Berryman were attending.

“I thought we’d come up and race as we don’t have a track in Christchurch (destroyed in the earthquake).

“It will mean going to Timaru now, a couple of hours down the road,” said Morrison.

The track and conditions on Saturday were ideal for the 22 year old.

“I love the track here, it’s great and it’s just good to have people to race against as well,” she said.

Portia Bing won the W19 100m hurdles in 14.49s (-0.4) from Berryman who clocked 15.10s.

Louise Jones sharpened up for her defence of the national 400m title in Dunedin at the end of the month with wins over 60m in 7.82s (0.0) and 100m in 12.09s (+1.2). Morrison was second in the 100m in 12.44s.

Ben Potter won the senior 100m in 10.91s and returned to the track later in the day for sterling run over 400m in a hand timed 47.8s. Tama Toki was second on both occasions in 10.92s and 48.3s.

Isaac Tatoa was the best over 60m in 6.93s (+0.6), while Cameron French recorded a best over 400m hurdles of 53.62s. In the field events Damian Smuts sent the hammer out to 53.62m, Julia Ratcliffe recorded a satisfactory throw of 59.75m with the hammer given the wet conditions and Nneka Okpala triple jumped 12.33m (+0.5).

 

O’Hagan’s Viaduct Harbour 5km Series – 1 March 2011

Andy Hughes won in 16m 8s from Andrew Cave 16m 47s. Sinead Sinnott recorded 20m 1s.

 

Takapuna 5km Rat Race, Milford – 2 March 2011

Kyle Barnes won in 15m 45s. Tara La Grange recorded 20m 36s.

 

NORTHLAND

Northland road running champion Tim Goodwin won the 9km run from Chilltech Beach to Basin Whangarei on Sunday. Ady McKenzie, (formerly Ngwati), was the first woman.

 

HAMILTON

Eastside 5km River Run – 1 March 2011

Jai Davies/Campbell won in 16m 2s, from Phil Murray 16m 28s. Helen Rountree was the first woman in 18m 4s.

 

HASTINGS

Hawkes Bay Gisborne Championships, Regional Sports Park Hastings – 1 March 2011

National champion Neville Smith won the 3000m steeplechase in 9m 35.28s. Monica Bernard won the W16 2000m steeplechase in 7m 51.54s from Annie Creagh 8m 30.66s. Matthew Taylor won the M16 2000m steeplechase in 8m 00.74s. 

 

37th New Zealand Masters Championships, Regional Sports Park Hastings – 4/7 March 2011

Sally Gibbs was outstanding in the W45 division, winning the 800m in 2m 22.48s, 1500m 4m 42.89s, 5000m in a NZ masters record of 17m 9.95s, clipping 5.51s off her own record set last year, and 10,000m in 36m 43.55s.

Christine McCahill won the W45 shot put 10.55m, discus 33.59m, hammer 39.73m and weight throw 14.40m.

Other performances of note Michael O’Connor M30 NZ masters records in both the 100m 11.41s (+1.4) and 23.38s 200m into a head wind of -4.1. Laurie Malcolmson M60 100m 12.84s (+1.8) and 300m hurdles 52.54s. Ian Calder M50 800m 2m 11.16s and second to Robin Grant (4m 22.05s) in the 1500m in 4m 22.51s. Ron Robertson M65 1500m 5m 13/54s, 5000m 19m 24.44s, 2km steeples 7m 58.96s. David Rush M45 1500m 4m 51.93s and 5000m 17m 43.14s.

Stephen Burden M50 long jump 5.31m (NWI) and triple jump 11.23m (+4.2). Visitors from Canberra Bob Banens M60 javelin 45.35m and Jan Banens W60 hammer 32,88m. Mark Cumming M45 hammer 49.69m and weight throw 14.28m. Richard Davison M60 hammer 43.56m and weight throw 15.55m.

 

INGLEWOOD

Mountain to Surf Marathon Marathon – 5 March 2011

Grant McLean won for the second year in a row in 2h 37m, three minutes ahead of Chris Corney.

 

Taranaki Steeplechase Championships – 1 March 2011

Keegan Jones won the M19 2km steeples in 7m 46.07s and Emily Roughan won the W19 2km steeples in 7m 49.00s.

 

WELLINGTON

Lifestyle Sports Waterfront 5km Series – 1 March 2011

Ben Bibby won in 16m 45s, one second ahead of Adam Carlson. Emily Solsberg recorded 19m 10s. John Roskvist won the walk in 30m 53s, from Terri Grimmett 31m 59s.

 

NELSON

Twilight Meeting, Saxton Field Athletics Track Facility – 4 March 2011

Bola Ogun from Nigeria won the hammer throw with 49.23m. She is in Nelson training and will be competing at the New Zealand championships.

Alex Jordan won the 400m in 47.6s while Hazel Bowering-Scott won the 100m in 12.5s and the 400m in 59.1s. Greg Lautenslager recorded 8m 45.1s in the M19 3000m.

 

Sprig & Fern Series, 6km Off Road Branford Park Challenger – 1 March 2011

Cliff Bowman won in 20m 28s. Kate Fitzgerald recorded 26m 47s.

 

DUNEDIN

Twilight Meeting, Caledonian Stadium – 5 March 2011

Daniel Balchin (20) won the Otago 5000m championship in 14m 47.36s from Dougal Thorburn 14m 51.87s and Callan Moody 14m 54.69s. This made it a clean sweep for first year senior Balchin winning four Otago titles, the 800m, 1500m, 3000m and now the 5000m. Shauna Pali won the W19 title in 17m 54.34s. Rebekah Greene won the W19 1500m in 4m 30.36s from Nicki McFadzien 4m 40.74s. Greene also won the 400m in 62.35s. The senior 1500m went to Kellie Palmer in 4m 29.27s. Glen Ballam won the M19 1500m in 4m 4.65s. Anna Kean recorded 4m 40.59s in the W16 1500m. Tony McManus won the masters 1500m in 4m 35.55s.

Ben Jowsey ran 51.86s in the M19 400m while Andy Moore recorded 49.46s in the senior 1500m. In the M16 field events Bryn Jones threw 49.72m in the javelin and Dean Rusbatch had the shot out to 14.84m. Roseanne Robinson recorded 9m 30.85s in the 2000m walk and 7m 33.51s in the 1600m walk.

 

USA INDOORS

Dominic Channon won the mile in 4m 00.30s at the Columbia Last Chance meeting at the Armory Track and Field Centre in New York over the weekend. Lucy Van Dalen won the women’s mile in 4m 32.95s while Holly Van Dalen was second in the 5000m in 15m 56.82s. (Note: Kimberley Smith holds the NZ indoor mile record at 4m 24.14s).

Rochelle Sceats set a new school record in the 5000m at the ECAC Championships in Boston, posting a second-place finish in the 5000m when she ran a time of 16m 28.02s, topping the previous school record of Cassie O'Neill, who set the previous mark of 16m 28.10s in 1989.

 

ATHLETICS IN ACTION LATEST ISSUE

 

Athletics New Zealand’s Online e-zine, Athletics In Action was published last week. News from recent events, athlete profiles, Asics Grand Prix update, officials news and more. Go to  http://www.athletics.org.nz/Article.aspx?ID=7539

 

 

 

NEW ZEALAND TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS ENTRIES

 

Athletes are reminded that entries for the 2011 New Zealand Track & Field Championships close at midnight on Sunday 13 March. (The online entry system will close at this time). Late paper entries will be taken until midday Tuesday 15 March 2011 and require an additional $50.00 fee. After this time absolutely no further entries will be taken. Link for Online entries  http://www.athletics.org.nz/article.aspx?ID=5743&Mode=1

 

 

 

OBITUARIES

 

Paul Dryden

New Zealand senior hammer throw champion in 1980 Paul Dryden died of cancer on Tuesday March 1 in Auckland at the age of 57. Paul was a former top Otago thrower. He also won the national junior hammer title in 1972 and the national junior shot put title in 1972 and 1973. He was the chief executive of the Public Relations Institute of NZ and he had recently been appointed chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sport Auckland. He also worked on acquiring sponsorships for the Millennium Institute on the North Shore.

 

Kim Thomson

Kim Thomson, an inaugural Life Member of the New Zealand Children’s Athletic Association Inc died in Christchurch on Monday 21 February after a long and courageous battle.

 

Kim worked for Colgate Palmolive and was instrumental in creating the partnership the Children’s Association now have with Colgate.

 

His relationship with NZCAA commenced in 1978 and he was one of the prime movers in creating the establishment of a video timing system used for many years at Colgate Games and Interprovincial Meetings, prior to NZCAA purchasing its own camera.

 

Kim was well known in NZCAA, and attended Colgate Games and Grade 12/13 Interprovincial meetings for many years, often seen presenting medals to the winners.  He was also a regular attendee at NZCAA AGMs.

 

After recently leaving Colgate Palmolive he set up a Metro New World Supermarket in Wellington.