Athletics New Zealand - Weekly Roundup | infonews.co.nz New Zealand News

CHRISTCHURCH – QEII STADIUM – 3 April 2010 National M19 800m champion Glen Ballam of Invercargill secured a second B qualifying time for the World Junior Championships, after recording 1m 50.15s on Saturday. The B standard is 1m 51.00s and the A standard is 1m 50.00s. Ballam also broke Alan Bunce’s Southland senior record of 1m 50.60s set in 1986. Ballam ran his first B qualifying time of 1m 50.72s at the International meeting in Christchurch on 18 March. He won the national M19 title in 1m 51.81s. INVERCARGILL – SURREY PARK New Zealand Children’s Athletic Association Interprovincial Meeting, 3-4 April 2010 Canterbury won the competition, Counties were second and Wellington third. UNITED STATES Crescent City Classic 10km Road Race – New Orleans 3 April 2010 Michael Aish was 13th in 30m 24s. Race won by 20 year old Tilahun Regassa of Ethiopia in 28m 5s, from Kenyans John Kemboi 28m 12s and Enock Mitei 28m 17s. Aish’s wife Nicole was 10th in the women’s race in 35m 56s. Lineth Chepkirui of Kenya won in 30m 45s, from Ethiopians Gebre Belainesh 32m 18s and Mesekerem Assefa 33m 5s. US University Outdoors Concordia’s Alice Taylor ran a 35m 40.35s 10,000m to win at the Willamette Invitational. At the Florida Relays Lauren Faye, UAB came 10th in the 800m with a time of 2m 12.51s. Tim Hodge, Stony Brook, started off his outdoor season at Howell Invitational hosted by Princeton University with a 14m 17.87s 5000m At the Texas Relays. Matt Russ, North Texas, came 3rd in the 5000m with a time of 15m 12.91s, while team mate Patrick Strong came 5th in 15m 24.36s. At the Mike Poehlein Invitational running for Purdue Caden Shields won the 5000m in 14m 35.47s and Simon Rogers won the 1500m in 3m 52.49s while at the Bryant Quad Lucy Van Dalen ran 2m 11.97s in the 800m and at the Tom Benich Track & Field Classic Daniel Wallis ran 28th in the 1500m with a time of 4m 13.90s. SOTOKOTO SAFARI MARATHON Nairobi National Park Kenya – 23 May 2010 Douglas Wakaiihuri of Kenya, who won the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games marathon in 2h 10m 27s, is assisting in the promotion of the Sotokoto Marathon in Kenya to celebrate 2500 years of marathon running history. Wakaiihuri was well known around the streets of Auckland leading up to the Commonwealth Games as he trained almost daily up and down the Tamaki Drive course. He returned to Auckland a number of times after the Games, winning the Hyett half marathon and the Owairaka 10km road race. For further information on the marathon go to: <a href="http://www.sotokotomarathon.co.ke">www.sotokotomarathon.co.ke</a> OBITUARY Malcolm Hahn QSM, six times New Zealand javelin throwing champion during the 1950’s, died in Auckland on Friday 2nd April, aged 78. Hahn was the captain and flag bearer of the New Zealand team at the 1958 Cardiff Wales British Empire and Commonwealth Games. At the Cardiff Games Hahn finished 13th in the javelin throw with 62.42m. Hahn won the national title five consecutive years from 1955 and he also won the title in 1961 in Hamilton. Hahn missed the 1960 national championships, which were staged in Invercargill, as he was unable to, at the time, afford the cost of travelling down from Auckland. He was New Zealand’s first 70 metre thrower with his personal best being 71.52m in 1959. Hahn also coached; one of his notable successes was Andrea McBride who currently holds the New Zealand W19, W18 and W17 javelin record of 49.50m. Hahn was an accomplished mechanical engineer (electrician and fitter and turner), working for many years at the Northern Roller Mills in the centre of Auckland city. He used to make his own javelins from bits and pieces of old implements. He designed and made one of the first rugby scrum machines and also designed up to 70 pieces of machinery currently being used throughout the country at Les Mills Gymnasiums. A number of these machines were also exported to Australia for use in gyms there. Hahn founded the Guardians of the Upper Harbour to tackle sewage pollution problems. He also provided assistance to the North Shore City Council on pollution, drainage and sewage. He wrote a number of books on the history of the Upper Waitemata Harbour region. LIFE MEMBERSHIP Jim Tobin honoured by Masters Athletics Jim Tobin from Napier has been honoured with Life Membership of New Zealand Masters Athletics. The recognition encompasses a lifetime of successful athletic participation which includes varied Provincial team representation in open grade athletics racing with the well known team of athletes trained by Arthur Lydiard, including Murray Halberg and Bill Baillie, through to the masters section where he competes locally nationally and internationally. His latest competition at the NZ championships just completed he raced 1500m, 5000m and 10000m and was on the podium for each event at the medal ceremonies. The lifetime honour recognises his services for administration work for masters athletics. He has held Board positions including President for over 25 years. His work as the Editor of VETLINE the national magazine publication for masters athletes is known for its professional standard and high quality of content and the publication is distributed through the Pacific nations and to a number of worldwide athletes and allied codes. He is the chief photographer for the magazine as well as Editor. Internationally he has served for several terms on committees, represented New Zealand at world masters congress meetings, measuring and certifying athletic distances up to and including the marathon distance to ensure accurate standards are maintained. He has managed Oceania, New Zealand and Provincial championships. Internationally he has been recognised and awarded the WMA (World Masters Athletics) gold pin award for sustained services along with long service awards from Athletics New Zealand. He has also been honoured twice as Hawkes Bay Master of the Year through Sport Hawkes Bay annual awards. Currently he maintains administration positions on the NZ Masters Board, Oceania Council for masters athletics and on local Hawkes Bay masters and open athletic committees.