Athletics New Zealand - Weekly update

WELLINGTON

Capital Classic, Asics Athletics New Zealand Grand Prix Series, Newtown Park – 28 January 2011
Delhi Commonwealth Games double silver medallist Nikki Hamblin collected her first national 3000m title at the Capital Classic meeting in Wellington on Friday evening, to add to her 800m and 1500m titles won in Christchurch last season.
Hamblin, who has a personal best of 9m 10.95s, recorded 9m 32.44s, just over three seconds faster than Lydia O’Donnell. Fiona Crombie winner for the last two years was third in 9m 41.56s. Sarah Drought was fourth in 9m 43.01s. Hamblin is now being coached by Paul Hamblyn three times New Zealand 1500m champion and fourth in the 1500m at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
Bernadine Portenski of Wellington missed the world masters W60 3000m record by just over two seconds. Portenski (61) recorded 11m 8.99s, breaking her New Zealand W60 record by nearly five seconds. Angela Copson of Great Britain set the world W60 record of 11m 6.6s in 2009 at the age of 64.

Hamish Carson stormed home to win the men’s 3000m title in a PB 8m 6.70s, from Hayden McLaren 8m 9.86s and Malcolm Hicks 8m 16.65s. Jonathan Jackson, who won the M19 3000m title in Palmerston North last Tuesday, was fourth in almost an identical time of 8m 29.86s. It is Carson’s second national title after winning the 1500m last season. Carson also set a meet record breaking Ben Ruthe’s record of 8m 10.03s run in 2007.

Michael Cochrane further improved on his New Zealand M19 400m hurdles record, with an impressive performance of 50.62s. Two weeks ago at Mt Smart Stadium Cochrane clocked 51.25s. His latest effort qualifies him for the World University Games in Shenzhen China in August and ranks him sixth equal with Johnathon Schmidt on the New Zealand all-time list. The top six all-time are: Roger Johnson 49.8s HT 1972 (converted from 440yds hurdles), Nic O’Brien 49.90s 2003, Zion Armstrong 49.95s 2000, Phillip Mills 50.14s 1976, Callum Stuart 50.43s 1999, Johnathon Schmidt 50.6s HT 1995 and Cochrane 50.62s.

Australia’s Nicholas Hough won the sprint double with times of 10.62s (+1.8) over 100m and 21.69s (+0.4) in the 200m. Rochelle Coster followed up a win in the 100m in 12.06s (+2.3) with victory in the 400m in 55.88s. Andrea Koenen second in the 100m in 12.25s (+2.3) won the 200m in 24.50s (+2.0). Glen Ballam in 1m 51.20s headed in Josh Komen 1m 52.08s and Annese Curren 1m 52.22s in the 800m. Billy Crayford was second in the high jump with 2.05m won by Australia’s Brandon Starc who cleared 2.14m. Elizabeth Lamb won the women’s high jump at 1.84m and Nneka Okpala was out to 12.58m in the triple jump. Todd Swanson won the triple jump with 14.57m (0.0).

PALMERSON NORTH
Cooks Classic, Asics Athletics New Zealand Grand Prix Series, Manawatu Community Athletics Track – 25 January 2011
Jonathan Jackson of Auckland won the national M19 3000m title by a wide margin in 8m 29.49s. National M16 cross country champion Matt Baxter from Egmont Athletics was second in 8m 41.18s with North Harbour Bays Nicholas Berry third in 8m 43.75s.
Mikayla Nielsen of Hamilton, national W16 road champion and who was third in the national W19 cross country last August won the W19 3000m in 9m 54.24s.
Nielsen headed in Canterbury’s Nikki McFadzien by eight seconds. Kara MacDermid of Palmerston North was third in 10m 7.19s.
Aaron Pulford won the mile in 4m 11.98s. Other highlights were Louise Jones 400m in 55.11s, Rebekah Greene 800m in 2m 8.75s, Australia’s Alex Rowe 800m in 1m 48.62s, Alex Jordan 400m in 47.09s and Todd Swanson triple jump of 14.15m (-0.1).

AUCKLAND
O’Hagan’s Viaduct Harbour 5km Series – 25 January 2011
Carl Read won in 16m 40s, from Andrew Ford 16m 50s and Sasha Daniels 16m 53s. Rachel Bowie was the first woman in 18m 19s, ahead of Sally Jackson 18m 51s.

Takapuna 5km Rat Race, Milford – 26 January 2011
Sam Franklin won in 16m 8s, from Oscar Stielau 18m 56s. Libby Garnett was the first woman in 20m 16s.

HAMILTON
Open Meeting, Porritt Stadium – 30 January 2011
Talia Horgan W16 400m in 57.84s, Tracey Hale SW 100m 12.90s and 400m 58.44s. Kerry Charlesworth W19 pole vault 3.70m, Julia Ratcliffe W19 hammer throw 57.91m, Millie McNie SW hammer 51.06m. In the triple jump Rebecca Lovell W19 10.84m and Matthew Wyatt 13.88m. Scott McLaren had the javelin out to 52.95m, Kyle Van der Merwe M16 javelin 58.25m and M16 shot put 15.22m. Taylor Matthews M16 javelin 55.04m. Mark Cumming senior hammer 47.44m and Richard Callister M16 hammer 47.69m.

Eastside 5km River Run – 25 January 2011
Jason Steynross won in 17m 41s, 11 seconds ahead of Kent Hodgson. Vicki Rees-Jones was the first woman in 21m 6s.

WELLINGTON
Lifestyle Sports Waterfront 5km Series – 25 January 2011
Stuart Grange won in 17m 5s, from Andrew Wharton 17m 11s. Stephanie Mackenzie was the first woman in 18m 38s, from Sarah Beable 20m 24s. Tim Dutton won the walk in 27m 34s and Terri Grimmett in the women’s section recorded 31m 37s.

NELSON
Spring & Fern Striders 5km Summer Series – 25 January 2011
Simon Mardon was the fastest in 15m 32s, from Clayton Scott 16m 48s. Kate Fitzgerald was the first woman in 19m 52s.

CHRISTCHURCH
IPC Athletics World Championships, QEII Stadium

22 January: Matthew Lack T54 800m heat 3 1st 1m 41.28s Q. Tim Prendergast T13 1500m (holds world record 3m 51.82s set in 2006) 7th 4m 50.09s. Prendergast subsequently withdrew from the 800m with a recurring calf muscle injury. Holly Robinson F46 shot put 7th 8.43m.
23 January: Matthew Lack T54 800m final 8th 1m 39.09s. Jessica Hamill F34 shot put 3rd 6th overall 7.34m. Rory McSweeney F44 javelin throw 8th 42.71m.
25 January: Matthew Lack T54 1500m heat 1 6th 3m 17.42s DNQ. Kate Horan T44 200m 4th 29.17s (-0.9). Joe Flavell F42 shot put 7th 11.17m.
26 January: Kate Horan T44 100m 7th 14.13s (+0.4).
27 January: Matthew Lack T54 400m heat 1 5th 51.63s DNQ, Sunil Fernandez-Ritchie T20 1500m heat 1 9th 4m 49.56s DNQ.

28 January: Holly Robinson F46 javelin throw 5th 30.44m, Jessica Hamill F34 javelin throw 8th 14.35m.

Shoe Clinic Asics 5km Series – 25 January 2011
Kerry Faass won in 15m 14s from Matt Ingram 15m 22s. Lucy Oliver was the fastest woman in 17m 43s, with Tracy Crossley the next fastest with 17m 50s.

Athletics, Hansen Park – 29 January 2011
All hand times, Laura McPhail (19) 100m 12.6s (+6.0), 200m 26.8s (NWI). Connor Tyndall 100m 11.7s (+6.0), 200m 24.1s (NWI). Patrick Harnett (15) high jump 1.75m. Nicolas McGrath (16) 5kg shot put 14.03m, 1.5kg discus throw 41.98m.

Rover 10km Road Race, Halswell – 29 January 2011
Glynn Hadley won in 34m 8s, from Martin Lukes 35m 35s and Carsten Joergensen 36m 18s. Alexandra Williams won the women’s section in 37m 43s from Lisa Brignull 39m 2s. Eric Saxby won the 10km walk in 1h 7m 30s.

International Track Meet – 26 February 2011
Athletes are advised that entries that entries close for the ITM on Tuesday 15 February. To assist the organisers please enter early. For further information go to the ITM website: www.internationaltrackmeet.co.nz

DUNEDIN

Timebuster 300m race around the Octagon – 29 January 2011
Ben Jowsey won in 35.5s from John Gilmour 36.1s and Robert Jopp 36.9s. Megan McPhail won the women’s race in 39.4s, from Fiona Hely 40.2s and Rebekah Greene 41.0s.

Athletics Caledonian Stadium – 29 January 2011
Andrew Moore won the sprint double recording 10.89s (+2.9) in the 100m and 21.64s (+5.8) in the 200m. Daniel Balchin ran the 800m in 1m 56.76s, Dougal Thorburn was around the 3000m in 8m 43.99s and Rebekah Greene clocked 10m 1.90s in the 3000m. Nicole Bradley W19 hammer throwing 43.70m, Dean Rusbatch M16 1.5kg discus 42.02m and 5kg hammer 50.67m. Brent Cheshire (16) high jump at 1.80m.

USA – INDOORS
Norman Oklahoma, JD Martin Invitational Mosier Indoor Facility – 22 January: Paula Whiting 1st 1000m 2m 51.67s, Melanie Cleland 4th 2m 57.44s.
Cambridge Massachusetts, GBTC Invitational – 23 January: Dominic Channon 2nd mile 4m 8.99s, Alex Wallace 2nd 3000m 8m 30.49s.
Lexington Kentucky, Rod McCravy Memorial Meet – 29 January: Simon Rogers 6th mile 4m 7.14s, Camille Buscomb 4th mile 4m 51.06s, Alice Feslier-Holmes 12th 5m 00.26s.
Boston Massachusetts, Terrier Invitational – 29 January: Julian Matthews 1st 1000m 2m 25.41s, Dominic Channon 2nd mile 4m 6.56s, Alex Wallace 11th 4m 10.00s.

AUSTRALIA
Australian Selection Trial for the World Cross Country Championships, Stromlo Forest Park Canberra – 23 January 2011
Senior men 12km: Shaun Krawitz was 10th in 37m 43.4s. Trial won by Collis Birmingham in 35m 9.2s.

SPAIN
Elgoibar International Cross Country – 23 January 2011
Jake Roberston finished seventh in the 10.8km event in 33m 1s. Leonard Komon of Kenya won in 32m 5s..