Athletics New Zealand Media Release - Weekly Roundup
UNITED STATES
Boston
Reebok Boston Indoor Games.
Nick Willis started his 2010 international racing season in fine style winning the Boston Indoor Games mile for the second year in a row.
Willis rocketed around the final lap for victory in 3m 55.26s. The Beijing Olympic Games 1500m silver medallist just held out American Will Leer who recorded 3m 55.66s. David Torrence from US was third in 3m 56.69s.
Willis said that it was a last lap sprint that enabled him to overhaul Leer.
“I had no idea how I’d do; this was totally surprising to me.
“I felt great with 400 (two laps) to go but when I crossed the line I was exhausted. I was really glad when Leer took the lead (on lap seven). I knew I could come back on him, and it gave me a slingshot to work off,” he said.
Willis planned to be aggressive from the start but he didn’t get away cleanly over the first 50 metres.
“I was hoping to get in behind the rabbits but other guys got there, in some ways I took the easier route,” said Willis.
“But the goal is to be a bit more confident and tough. In the end I got the win and that’s the most important.”
Tom Osborne from New Zealand was 10th in 4m 7.44s.
Last year Willis won in 3m 53.54s. The New Zealand indoor mile record is held by Sir John Walker at 3m 52.8s recorded twice in 1981 and 1982 both in San Diego.
Willis next race will be at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix meeting in the UK on 20 February.
New York
Melissa Moon won the women’s race in her debut in the Empire State Building Run-Up last Tuesday.
Moon covered the 86 flights, 1576 steps, to the observation deck of New York’s tallest building in 13m 13s. The twice world mountain running champion took the lead on the 20th floor and pulled away to beat American Gretchen Grindle Hurlbutt by 40 seconds. Andrea Mayr of Austria holds the women’s record at 11m 23s set in 2006.
“If you know the history of this building, it’s a privilege to run here,” said Moon.
“I’ve climbed taller buildings but I’ve never run a tower race that means more to me. I’m so proud that I’ll be able to put this on my résumé,” she added.
US Indoor
Alice Taylor ran 17m 9.49s for 8th place over 5000m at an indoor open race at the University of Washington invitational meeting in Seattle on 29 January. Also at the Boston University meeting on 30 January Leonora Joy-Petrina finished third in the 3000m in 9m 23.06s. In an earlier race on 31 December/1 January Joy-Petrina was second in the 31st Emerald Nuts Midnight Run over 4 miles in Central Park New York in 21m 42s. Erin Donohue, 2008 Olympian over 1500m, won in 21m 22s.
At the New Balance Collegiate Invitational at the Armory Track and Field Center in New York, N.Y. Rochelle Sceats ran a NCAA provisional qualifier in the 5000m with a time of 16m 37.66s finishing 3rd in the race. At the same meet in the 1000m run, Laura Sinclair ran her fastest time of the season, clocking in at 2m 56.01s to finish in 12th place (qualifying her for the ECAC Championships) and in the men’s 800m College run Michael Christmas ran 1m 55.39s. At the New Balance Collegiate Invitational Carl Mackenzie ran 4m 04.33s to win the 1 mile and Hugo Beamish and Matthew Mildenhall in the 3,000m finished in second and third place, respectively. Beamish ran a personal best 8m 06.56s, while Mildenhall ran 8m 07.96s, also a personal best.
At the 23rd Annual Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana there were a number of New Zealand runners. For Purdue in the men’s 5000m Caden Shields was 7th in 14m 21.54s, Simon Rogers ran 2m 28.22s in the 1000m and 4m 15.31s in the 1 mile. In the women’s 800m Lauren Fayen running for University of Alabama ran 2m 12.19s for 18th. For Michigan Dallas Bowden ran 1m 52.47s in the 800m and Brendon Blacklaws 4m 08.38s for 8th in the 1 mile. Terefe Ejigu Eastern Michigan 9th in the 3000m in 8m 19.69s.
At the New Mexico Classic in Albuquerque men 1 mile Daniel Wallis finished 11th in 4m 17.02s.
Eastern Kentucky University track and field team competed at the Middle Tennessee State Invitational and in the men 3000m Daniel Jones was 9th in 8m 52.91s and running for the University of Nevada Mandy Russ took second overall in the one mile run clocking 5m 12.27s.
Patrick Strong, running for the North Texas track and field team won the 3000m at the Texas Tech Open on Saturday in 8m 35.38s.
AUSTRALIA
Brisbane 29.01.10: 100m hurdles Veronica Torr 2nd 14.26s (+0.5).
Brisbane Athletics Classic – 6 February: Men 200m; James Dolphin 2nd 21.03s (+0.0), Carl Van der Speck 9th 21.49s. Women 200m; Andrea Koenen 3rd 24.12s (+0.1). Women 100m Andrea Koenen 6th 12.01s (+1.0); Men 100m; Carl Van der Speck 3rd 10.60s (+0.5), James Dolphin 5th 10.67s.
TAURANGA
Tauranga Domain – 6 February
Joseph Millar won the M19 100m in 10.73s (+3.2) and the 200m in 21.69s (+1.3) at the Tauranga Domain on Saturday. Michael Cochrane was over the M19 110m hurdles in 14.46s (+1.2). Liam Mitchell won the M19 400m in 51.73s. 800m winners were Michael Eggleton M19 1m 55.97s and Demelza Murrihy-Topp SW 2m 15.91s. Madison Gipson W16 200m winner in 26.05s (+2.1). Michael Sutton M16 recorded 9m 19.04s over 3000m and Anna-Lisa Uttley won the W16 3000m in 10m 26.14s. Uttley has moved with her family from Dunedin to Tauranga and will attend Otumoetai College. Matt Nicholls M19 cleared 2.02m in the high jump.
WELLINGTON
Newtown Park Stadium – 6 January
Hamish Carson won the 800m in 1m 53.90s, James List was second in 1m 54.90s with Neil Sampson third in 1m 55.71s. Corey Casey was the best in the M19 in 1m 55.14s and Kieron McDonald in the M16 recording 1m 58.43s. Yaride Rosario won the M16 100m in 11.21s (-1.9). Scott Thomson cleared 1.85m in the M19 high jump and was out to 13.34m (-1.4) in the triple jump. In the women’s triple Marissa Pritchard jumped 12.07m (-1.3). Franco Patu won the M16 javelin with a throw of 55.50m and Ryan Tinkle won the M19 hammer throw with 57.03m.
NELSON
Saxton Field – 5 February
60m M19: Andrew Moore 7.28s +2.0
100m M19: Alex Jordan 10.89s (+1.3) PB, Cody Thomas 11.33s
400m M19: Alex Jordan 49.36s
400m W16: Hazel Bowering Scott 59.24s
Long jump M19: Andrew Moore 6.84m (+0.2) PB, Cody Thomas 6.65m (+1.2).
High jump M19: Andrew Moore 1.93m.
2000m walk Women: Nyle Sunderland 10m 49.99s.
GREYMOUTH
The West Coast athletics team stunned Nelson to take out the 74th Mahar Cup. Held in Greymouth and contested over M16, M19, SM, W16 & SW grades, West Coast accumulated 335 points to Nelson's 229 to break Nelson's 11 year stranglehold on the event. Coast were particularly strong in the M16 winning 8 of the 10 titles.
M16 records fell to west Coast's Jordan Patterson with a 1.73m high jump and the 4 x100m relay team of Adin Martinus, Josh Costello, Joseph Barrow and Mitchell Paterson with 48.1sec.
CHRISTCHURCH
QEII Stadium – 6 February
Alicia Evans won the 1500m in a hand time of 4m 41.2s, Margot Gibson was second in 4m 45.4s. Malcolm Hicks won the 800m in 1m 53.43s from Brett Tingay 1m 55.87s. Marshall Hall sent the discus out to 48.28m while in the M16 Hayden Hall won the shot with 13.64m and the discus 50.43m. Jesse Bryant won the M16 long jump with 6.64m (+0.8). Daniel Lord M18 recorded 13m 42.56s in the 3000m walk. Andrea Vigers won the hammer with a throw of 45.94m. Scot Walker was the best in the M19 100m in 10.93s (-0.4). Fiona Morrison was over the 100m hurdles in 14.88s (-0.8).
In the Shoe Clinic Asics 5km road race in North Hagley Park last Tuesday Mark Bailey won in 14m 41s from Matt Ingram 14m 48s and Phil Costley 14m 56s. Aine Hoban won the women’s in 17m 26s from Alex Williams 17m 45s and Margot Gibson 18m 22s.
International Track Meet
The organisers of the International Track Meet are pleased to announce that entries for both the ITM and the preceding Canterbury Interclub on Thursday 18 March at QEII Christchurch are now open.
Monique Williams is returning to compete after claiming the New Zealand record bonus last year while Nick Willis will be competing in only the More FM invitation 800m. Andrea Koenen and Rebecca Wardell will compete with Williams in the 200m.
Entry forms and the programmes can be accessed on the meet website: www.internationaltrackmeet.co.nz
Copies of last year’s SKY Sports TV coverage are available at $20 plus postage as well as spectator tickets.
DUNEDIN
New Zealand M19 and W19 3000m Championships – 6 January.
Alex Wallace of Wellington won the M19 in 8m 38.00s beating Nelson’s Harry Dixon 8m 38.73s and Daniel Balchin of Dunedin 8m 39.61s. Wellington’s Tim Cornish was fourth in 8m 45.75s and Luke O’Donnell fifth in 8m 47.22s. Wallace was fourth in the senior 3000m championship two weeks ago in 8m 20.82s.
Sixteen year old Rebekah Greene of Dunedin won the W19 title in a personal best time of 9m 30.69s. Lydia O’Donnell of Auckland was second in 9m 51.91s and Josie Wilcox of Nelson third in 10m 26.21s. The New Zealand W16 record is 9m 19.76s set by Sue Bruce in 1981.
Also at the Caledonian Ground Chris Donaldson won the 100m in 10.79s (+3.2) beating Cory Innes 10.89s. Innes won the 200m in 22.10s (+1.6). Lauren Wilson won the W19 100m in 12.78s (+0.7) and the 200m in 25.97s (+1.0). Callan Moody won the Otago 3000m title in 8m 34.24s heading in Dougal Thorburn 8m 37.51s. Kirsty Morris won the women’s 3000m in 10m 22.42s. Katrina Finn ran 800m in 2m 17.74s. In the field events Eilidh Blanchard won the W16 triple jump with 10.56m (-0.0) and Jerram Huston was out to 14.09m in the shot put.