Athletics New Zealand Media Release - Weekly Roundup

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon
Kimberley Smith carved over two minutes off her New Zealand record in finishing second in the New Orleans half marathon yesterday in 1h 7m 55s.
Smith, who finished seventh in the 2009 world half marathon championship in Birmingham in 1h 9m 35s, went neck and neck with the eventual winner Berhane Adere of Ethiopia over the closing stages. Adere ran the fastest time ever by a woman in the States of 1h 7m 52s.
It was a great confidence boost for the 28 year old Smith leading up to the London marathon on 25 April.
“I tried to break away early and I got rid of everyone except Berhane,” said Smith who went through the first 10km in 31m 49s.
“I knew she probably had more closing speed, so I did everything I could to shake her.”
Martin Lel of Kenya won the race in 1h 1m 7s.

SYDNEY
Track Classic, Olympic Park 27 February
Olympic and World shot put champion Valerie Vili won the shot put with 20.57m in Sydney on Saturday evening.
Vili improved on her own meet record of 20.09m set in winning in Sydney last year, but was just short of the Australian allcomers record of 20.69m set by Russian Natalya Lisovskaya at the World Cup meeting in Canberra in 1985.
“I’m pretty happy, it’s my second throw for the season. There is nobody to chase here but you want to put on a good show for the crowd so I’m pretty happy,” said Vili.
Twelve other New Zealand athletes competed at the Sydney Track Classic at the Sydney Olympic Park.
Carl Van der Speck was seventh in the 100m 10.60s (+0.6), James Dolphin fourth in 20.83s and Jeffrey Thumath sixth in 21.16s (+0.9) in the 200m, Adrian Blincoe was sixth in the 1500m in 3m 38.93s, Brent Newdick sixth in the 110m hurdles in 14.81s (+1.1) and seventh in the long jump 6.76m (+0.9), Marshall Hall fifth in the discus throw 51.39m and Stuart Farquhar third in the javelin throw 79.80m.
Monique Williams was ninth in both the 100m 12.10s (+1.8) and 200m 24.46s (+1.3), Andrea Koenen sixth in the 200m 23.77s, Angela Smit eighth in the 800m 2m 7.99s, Hannah Newbould fifth in the 1500m 4m 23.56s, Sarah Cowley second in the 100m hurdles 13.92s (+1.2) and sixth in the long jump 5.64m (+1.3). The long jump was won by former Kiwi Jessica Penney with 6.39m (+1.7).

AUCKLAND
Auckland Championships
Jacko Gill highlighted the Auckland track and field championships with a New Zealand M18 shot put record of 18.27m. The 15 year old bettered the standard set for a record of 18m and the pending record of 18.13m set by Tom Walsh in Hastings in January. Gill is just 3cm short of the performance standard for the world junior championships in Canada in July.
Marissa Pritchard travelled up from Wellington to seek competition in the triple jump against Nneka Okpala. Pritchard won the event in a personal best distance of 12.99m (+4.4). The standard for the Commonwealth Games is 13.40m. Okpala was out to 12.53m (+1.7) and she also won the 100m in 12.14s (+2.0).
Pritchard the national triple jump champion for the last three years and long jump champion for the past two years said that she was looking for a 13m plus jump.
“I’m pleased with 12.99m, but I was hoping for around 13.20m, but it will come, I had a couple of big jumps, Dave Norris says I’m looking good, so that’s pretty good,” said Pritchard.
“The winds were a little bit strong and a little bit changeable so that’s always difficult and I was a couple of shoes behind the board. But it is nice to come to Auckland, good conditions and good competition,” she added.
Pritchard said that the Commonwealth Games performance standard is there this season.
“13.40m is definitely achievable – I haven’t started to come into my peak yet, so if I can pop out a couple of 13.20m today from behind the board then come the nationals then I’m really hoping for the 13.40m. The New Zealand record is 13.39m, so I’ll go for that first.”
Pritchard had a legal jump of 12.68m (+0.0).
Also up from Wellington was Tim Hawkes New Zealand 800m champion for the last three years. Hawkes came with a late burst over the closing stages of the senior 800m but was unable to peg back Malcolm Hicks who won in 1m 53.76s to Hawkes 1m 53.78s.
It was the first race over 800m for Hawkes this season.
“After competing in Europe last year, I needed a bit of time to freshen up, so I took six months to enjoy myself and go back and do a few sprints again, some jumps and then from December been training pretty solidly and consistently,” said Hawkes.
“I’ve been back on the track for a month or so and trying to sharpen up as quickly as possible so hopefully be in good shape by the ITM in Christchurch and get a good race against Nick Willis and the Aussie guys and maybe the Kenyan,” he added.
Hicks earlier at the championships had won the 1500m in 3m 53.08s, just edging out Aniel Smith who recorded 3m 53.11s. Jonathan Jackson won the M19 1500m in 4m 9.58s and the 5000m in 14m 58.72s.
Isaac Tatoa won the senior men’s 100m title in 10.81s (-0.7).
Madison Gipson was outstanding in the women 16 400m final. Starting in the outside lane Gipson scorched around the track in 56.80s.
Katrina Anderson the New Zealand W16 400m champion stepped up to the 800m for the first time in open competition finishing second in the W19 final in 2m 16.88s, cutting eight seconds off her previous best. Rachael Catley won in 2m 15.67s.
Roberto Mandje from the States who represented Equatorial Guinea in the 1500m at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games won the 3000m steeplechase in 9m 27.37s.
Johan Smalberger was out to 71.18m to win the javelin throw.

HAMILTON
Waikato Bay of Plenty Championships
Morgan Foster 100m in 10.90s (-1.7) and 200m in 22.70s (-2.6). Phil Simms had a mortgage on the M16 titles winning the 400m 50.50s, 200m 23.40s (-0.4), 300m hurdles 39.60s, 110m hurdles 15.40s (NWI) and long jump 6.40m (+0.0). Mohamed Ali M16 800m winner in 1m 57.80s and 1500m in 4m 5.60s. Neville Smith of Hastings won the 3000m steeplechase in 9m 16.30s. Daniel Fake of Hawera the M19 triple jump 12.37m (0.0). Kristie Baillie the W19 400m in 56.80s and the 200m in 25.60s (-2.4). Demelza Murrihy-Topp the senior 1500m in 4m 30.10s and the 800m in 2m 12.70s. Anna-Lisa Uttley the W16 1500m in 4m 44.70s. Katherine Camp the W19 triple jump with 11.59m (-0.5). Keshia Grant the senior javelin with a throw of 44.05m. Michael Eggleton the M19 800m in 1m 52.60s. Ben Ruthe won the 5000m in 14m 51.60s from Kyle MacDonald 14m 52.90s. Jess Ruthe won the women’s 5000m in 16m 22.20s. Cameron French was over the 400m hurdles in 55.00s. In the W19 5000m track walk Natasha Murrihy clocked an impressive 26m 25.90s. Matt Nicholls was over the M19 high jump at 1.95m. Julia Ratcliffe won all three grades in the hammer throw championship, the senior with 53.33m, the W19 in 53.75m and the W16 in 53.13m.
In the Masters Trevor Ogilvie won the 60-64 1500m in 4m 48.00s and the 5000m in 17m 45.40s.

TAUPO
At the 15th Great Lake 100km event last week, Andrew Shelley of Upper Hutt broke Peter Baillie’s 100km race walking record, recording 12h 16m 47s. Denise Stewart-Jacks was the first woman in the 100km walk in 14h 20m 4s.

WELLINGTON
Wellington Championships
Luke Greenfield set a Wellington hammer throw record of 58.13m in beating 15 times New Zealand champion and 2002 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Philip Jensen who was out to 57.82m. Ryan Tinkle won the M19 hammer throw with 56.95m.
Sarah Hosegood won the women’s 400m in 58.26s and the 100m in 12.61s (+0.9). Louise Hosegood was the 200m winner in 25.74s (+1.9). Yarride Rosario won the M16 100m in 11.05s (-0.5) and the 200m in 22.71s (+2.6). The senior 200m went to Andrew Kennedy in 22.67s (+2.0). Other winners of note: Vicky Paine W19 400m 57.31s, Jacinda Swain 800m 2m 13.85s, Anna Roche W19 800m 2m 11.65s and 1500m 4m 31.98s, Hamish Carson 800m in 1m 52.01s, Tina Harris 1500m 4m 32.49s, Susannah Lynch G14 1500m 4m 54.58s, Macklin Chaffee (USA) 1500m 3m 57.72s from James List 4m 00.12s, Nyla Carroll 5000m 16m 55.63s, Nick Kalivati 400m hurdles 55.61s, Keeley O’Hagan W16 high jump 1.79m, Scott Thomson M19 triple jump 13.74m (+1.4) and high jump 1.90m, Richard Thomson shot put 14.30m, Franco Patu M16 javelin throw 53.94m and Peter Baillie M60 3000m track walk 15m 0.70s.

NELSON
Saxton Field Athletics Track – Friday 26 February
Josie Wilcox 3000m 10m 14.06s. Brendon Barnett long jump 6.46m (+2.0).

CHRISTCHURCH
QEII Stadium – Friday 26 February
Brett Tingay won the Canterbury 3000m championship in 8m 20.17s beating Andrew Davidson 8m 21.63s and Luke Hurring 8m 22.35s. Angus Taylor won the mixed 1500m in 3m 59.57s with Kellie Palmer clocking 4m 24.68s. Kate Newitt W19 won the 3000m track walk in 14m 8.55s. Nicola Hely won the 100m in 12.44s (-0.3), Rebecca Gibson W19 400m in 57.65s, Todd Mansfield the 100m in 11.02s (+0.1) and the 200m 22.83s (+0.0), Tim Jones 400m 48.22s, Ben Graham M19 triple jump 13.31m (+0.1) and Hayden Hall M16 shot put 13.09m and discus 49.85m.

INVERCARGILL
Three Southland records went in the Southland championships held at Surrey Park Invercargill over the weekend. Gideon Barnard added 1cm to his high jump record set at the Cooks classic with a 2.07 clearance (the third time in a month he has broken the record); Greer Alsop triple jumped 11.70 (1.7 wind) to add 25 cm to her own W16 record and Shaun Burgess ran 15:52.10 to take 8 seconds off his own M19 5000m record. Other highlights: 11.04 triple jump from 14 year old Jade Graham, 36.51 javelin from Stacey Peeters (W19) and 35.83 from sister Tori (W16) ; Todd Swanson's 13.71 triple jump (wind 1.7); Glen MacIntosh (38) running 2:10.09 to win the masters 800m and Karen Stringer (W16) fastest woman overall in the women's 100, 200 and 400m.

US INDOORS
Sarah Saddleton won the indoors high jump clearing 1.78m at the Verizon Wireless Western Athletic Conference in Denver on 14 February.
At the Sooner Open indoor meeting in Oklahoma on 20 February another Nelson athlete competed in the mile, Matt Russ of North Texas was second in 4m 22.41s.
Holly Van Dalen of Stony Brook followed up a win in the 3000m in 9m 32.66s at the America East Championship last weekend with a NCAA auto qualifying time over 5000m at the NYU Fastrack Invitational finishing 1st in a time 15m 55.64s. Also at America East Championship Tim Hodge came fourth in the 3000m in 8m 22.80s and had a victory in the 5000m in 14m 29.16s.
At the Big East Conference all running for Villanova Julian Matthews placed ninth in the mile in a time of 4m 13.32s and with Dominic Channon was part of the distance medley team which ran 9m 54.25s. In the 1000m Carl Mackenzie came 4th in 2m 25.29s and in the 3000m Mathew Mildenhall was 2nd in 8m 09.03s and Hugo Beamish 3rd in 8m 11.97s.
At the VT Challenge running for George Mason University Laura Sinclair finished in fourth place in the 3000m with a time of 9m 51.78s and in the 1 mile Rochelle Sceats was 11th in 5m 02.11s.
At the Mountain West champs 5000m Daniel Wallis, Colorado State was eighth with a time of 15m 05.73s.
Michael Christmas crossed the line fourth in the 800m at the America East champs in 1m 54.06s and in the Women 800m heats Lauren Fayen was 6th in 2m 15.94s.
At the Big 10 Champs 1 mile Michigan’s Dallas Bowden was 5th in his heat with a time 4m 09.74s and combined with Brendon Blacklaws as part of the Men Distance Medley team that came 2nd in 9m 50.15s.
Ohio Valley Conference Daniel Jones ran 15m 22.66s for 6th in the 5000m.
For University of Hawaii at the Western Athletic Conference in the Shot Put Te Rina Keenan placed 10th with 12.23m.
At the Atlantic Coast Conference David Ambler ran 6.76s over 60m for 5th.
Conference USA champs in the Women 1 Mile Run 5th Paula Whiting, 4m 51.32s and 6th Melanie Cleland, 4m 51.96s. In the Women 3000m Paula Whiting 5th in 9m 38.70s and Melanie Cleland 10th in 9m 56.89s and Cleland and Whiting were part of the Tulsa Distance Medley that came 1st in 11m 37.32s and Ayla Gill was 2nd in the weight throw with a distance of 18.35m.