Athletics New Zealand - Weekly Roundup

 

NEW CALEDONIA

NCL Throwers Cup meeting, Nouméa – 7 May 2011

Jacko Gill added 2.51m to his New Zealand M16 discus record with a throw of 59.15m. His previous record of 56.64m was set over a year ago in Sydney.

Gill was also out to 21.40m with the 5kg shot, 49.82m with the 5kg hammer and 54.31m with the 700g javelin.

His shot put was the best male performance at the meeting and the best female performance went to Anna Po’uhila with her shot put of 16.40m.

New Zealand won the team competition. 

 

AUCKLAND

HEB Cross Country, A & P Showgrounds, Pukekohe – 14 May 2011

312 competitors took part in the annual cross country races.

Stephen Lett repeated his win of last year in the senior 7.5km Heb cross country race at the A and P showgrounds on Saturday.

The 27 year old New Zealand 10,000m track champion held the national cross country champion Alex Parlane at bay for most of the race. Lett extended his lead out to nearly half a minute over the final circuit of the grounds. First year senior Jonathan Jackson pipped Parlane by two seconds for runner up spot in 24m 42s. Andrew Haigh was fourth in 25m 45s. Lett said that the Pukekohe circuit suits him.

“I seem to run pretty well here and it was not as wet as I thought it would be, and that kind of suited me,” he said.

Next on the racing schedule for Lett is the Huntly half marathon on Sunday.

“Training is going well so a personal best half marathon is on the cards I think.

“I did PB’s over nearly all distances on the track over summer which has given me a bit of speed that helps my winter racing,” said Lett.

Lett’s Takapuna club mate Jon Healey was the best of the masters running 26m 31s.

Rachael Kingstone went one better than last year in winning the women’s 5000m. But she had to work hard for her first senior victory holding out a tenacious Robyn Young by two seconds in 19m 9s. Rachel Penney the first of the master women was third in 19m 17s.

Kingstone said that she didn’t expect to win.

“I really wanted to get a tough race under my belt and I wasn’t expecting to win, as I was behind with 2km to go,” she said.

Florence Reynolds won the women 19 5000m, Denise Mendonca collected the women 16, while Haile Tesfaye headed in the men 19 and Jonty Morreau was the best of the men 16.

Run Auckland Series 10km, Musick Point Bucklands Beach 8 May: Joshua Rawlinson 33m 43s, Lisa Robertson 35m 27s.

O’Hagan’s Viaduct 5km Auckland 10 May: Gavin Stevens 16m 26s, Andrew Cave 16m 30s. 

 

HAWKES BAY GISBORNE

HBG Relay – 14 May 2011

Hastings A team of Luke Osborne, Jeremy Forbes, Neville Smith, Ross McIntyre and Phil McKay won from Gisborne and Napier.

Graeme Jones walked the 26km relay loop in 2h 18m 3s.

 

CHRISTCHURCH

Jane Paterson Cross Country Races, Rawhiti Domain – 14 May 2011

455 competitors took part in the annual cross country races. Malcolm Hicks won the men’s 9km in 30m 38s, from Brett Dawber 31m 15s and David Ridley 32m 31s. Richard Bennett recorded 31m 28s in the master men.

Fiona Crombie led in the senior women over 6km in 21m 56s, over two minutes ahead of Sarah McSweeney. Tracey Crossley was the fastest in the master women in 23m 16s, with Fiona Crombie running 23m 53s. 

Ben Musson in the M16 6km was speedy in 20m 16s with Thomas Holmes running 20m 32s in the M19 over the same distance.

Rosa Flanagan won the W16 4km in 14m 7s while Margot Gibson was the best of the W19 in 14m 43s for the 4km.

 

GORE

Gore Half Marathon, incorporating the Southland Half Marathon Championships – 15 May 2011

In cold windy conditions, but before the storm hit Southland, Michael Wakelin won in a good time for the conditions of 1h 13m 37s. Ricky Gutsell was second and the first master in 1h 18m 6s with Matt King third in 1h 19m 4s. Graham Sinnamon was second in the masters in 1h 22m 16s with John Bayne third in 1h 24m 2s.

Tanya Dromgool led in the women in 1h 27m 51s from Kerry Rowley 1h 33m 12s, who was also the first master woman, and Kristy Eyles 1h 33m 25s. Debbie Telfer was second master and first MW50 in 1h 35m 17s with Clare McDonald third in the masters in 1h 37m 54s.

 

USA OUTDOORS

Big Ten, Iowa City IA, 13-15 May: 1500m Camille Buscomb 4m 32.34sq final 11th 4m 36.16s, Alice Feslier Homes 4m 45.13s. Brendon Blacklaws 3m 57.39sQ, Dallas Bowden 3m 57.77s, Simon Rogers 3m 56.85s. 5000m Brendon Blacklaws 23rd 14m 51.34s, Caden Shields 27th 15m 7.54s. 5000m Camille Buscomb 25th 17m 25.60s.

Tuppeny Twilight, Swarthmore PA 14 May: Personal bests over 1500m to Mathew Mildenhall 1st in 3m 42.76s and to Olivia Burne in the women’s 1500m 11th in 4m 25.81s. At the same meeting last year Mildenhall was 7th in the 1500m in 3m 44.56s.

 

OBITUARY

Manawatu Wanganui stalwart Geoff Hopper died on Saturday 7th May aged 61 from a brain tumour. He was an Athletics Manawatu Wanganui life member and past president and chairman of the Centre. He made a valuable contribution to our sport both as a competitor and an administrator.

He was heavily involved with the organisation of many of the national championships held in Wanganui and he also organised many of the national cross country development trips to the Australian cross country championships. Geoff also coached Duncan Ross, former national junior cross country and road champion in 1994.