Athletics New Zealand - Weekly Roundup

London Marathon – 25 April 2010.

Kimberley Smith sliced over a minute off the New Zealand women’s marathon record in finishing eighth in 2h 25m 21s in London yesterday.

Smith broke the national record of 2h 26m 46s which was held by Allison Roe and set in winning the Boston marathon 29 years ago on 20th April 1981.

Liliya Shobukhova of Russia won in 2h 22m 0s. Shobukhova won the Chicago marathon in October last year in 2h 25m 56s.

Smith said that she was looking to going under 2h 25m, after passing half way in 1h 11m.

“My coach believes I can run under 2h 25m,” said Smith.

“If I can’t run that fast I’ll probably go back to running 10km. I want to be a marathon runner really badly,” she added.

Smith now holds eight New Zealand national records over 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m, half marathon set just two months ago in New Orleans, the marathon and indoors one mile, 3000m and 5000m.

Fiona Docherty, New Zealand representative in the marathon at the world championships in Berlin last year, was 22nd in London in 2h 37m 55s, after clocking 1h 18m 4s at half way.

Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia won the men’s race in 2h 5m 19s.

Other New Zealand performances were London based Paul Martelletti from Palmerston North 21st in 2h 21m 2s (half 1h 9m 5s), improving on his 2h 26m 16s in London last year and Marie Devoy 486th woman in 3h 29m 13s.

 

PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA

Penn Relays – 22-24 April 2010

Thursday 22 April: Lucy Van Dalen Stony Brook 3000m 1st 9m 17.23s. Holly Van Dalen Stony Brook 5000m 1st 16m 6.99s. Tim Hodge 10,000m 4th 29m 45.86s. 

Friday 23 April: College Men’s Distance Medley Championship, Villanova 2nd Mathew Mildenhall running 1200m in 2m 57.55s and Carl Mackenzie 1600m in 4m 00.62s. Michigan 4th Brendon Blacklaws running 1200m in 2m 57.95s and Dallas Bowden 800m in 1m 49.74s.

Saturday 24 April: College Men’s 4 x mile championship, Michigan were third in 16m 20.56s Dallas Bowden running 4m 4.9s and Brendon Blacklaws 4m 6.5s. Providence were eighth in 16m 24.24s, no individual times given for Dominic Channon, Julian Matthews and Hayden McLaren. Villanova were tenth in 16m 30.53s Mathew Mildenhall running 4m 5.7s and Carl Mackenzie 4m 6.9s. Bowden and Blacklaws helped Michigan to eighth in the 4 x 800m relay with a team time of 7m 34.16s.

Jamaica won the invitation 4 x 100m relay. The team of Mario Forsythe, Yohan Blake, Marvin Anderson and anchored by Usain Bolt in 8.79s recorded 37.90s.

 

In Baton Rouge Louisiana Lauren Fayen won the 1500m in a personal best 4m 31.58s.

In Norwalk California Te Rina Keenan won the discus with a throw of 50.05m and was ninth in the shot put with 13.47m.

At West Lafayette Indiana Alice Feslier-Holmes won the 800m in 2m 11.64s.

 

NORMAN OKLAHOMA

Sooner Invitational – 23 April 2010

Ayla Gill could well be joining her younger brother Jacko at the World Junior Championships in Moncton Canada in July after throwing a qualifying performance with the hammer of 56.74m at the Sooner Invitational meeting at the University of Oklahoma on Friday.

The 19 year old from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas finished third in the competition behind Mikaela Johansson 57.85m and Chandra Andrews 56.95m.

Gill’s series was 56.74m, 55.28m, 52.77m, 54.71m, 54.71m, 53.39m and Foul.

Her performance betters the A standard for the world junior championships of 56.00m. Jacko Gill has already been selected for the shot put for the world junior championships.

The New Zealand W19 hammer throw record is 58.75m set by Valerie Vili as a 17 year old in New Caledonia in May 2002.

 

AUCKLAND

Southland Centennial Shield cross country relay – 24 April 2010

Pakuranga won both the senior men and senior women relays based on the War Memorial reserve alongside the Lovelock Track in Mt Roskill on Saturday.

Ryan Sissons with the fastest overall 3km lap of 9m 3s gave Pakuranga an early lead on lap one, which was never headed. Sam Dobson followed with 9m 6s, Jonny McKee 9m 23s, Scott Winton 9m 14s and James Hand 9m 29s to give them a winning time of 46m 15s. Wesley was second in 47m 16s with Takapuna third in 47m 43s. Stephen Lett was the quickest for Takapuna with 9m 6s. It was the third year in a row for Pakuranga, with Sissons also taking out fastest time honours in 2008 with 9m 6s.

In the women’s relay over three laps of the park, Pakuranga’s Kelsi Patterson, Sarah Devoy and Michelle Hopkins came through in 33m 32s nearly two minutes ahead of North Harbour Bays with Auckland City Athletics third in 35m 50s. Ella Mangan-Walker running lap one for ACA was the fastest with 11m 4s, one second quicker than Michelle Hopkins.

University won the masters men from ACA and Wesley, Gavin Stevens running the fastest lap of 10m 2s.

Pakuranga won the masters women beating Takapuna and Pakuranga No. 2. Rachel Penney was the fastest with 11m 20s.

The junior relay went to ACA from Pakuranga and Wesley while Calliope won the 2 x 3km walking relay.

 

CHRISTCHURCH

Hagley Memorial Relay – 24 April 2010

University won the senior 6 x 4km relay around Hagley Park on Saturday. Their winning time was 1h 17m 46s, over two minutes ahead of New Brighton with Sumner third. Fastest laps were recorded by Malcolm Hicks 12m 12s, Mark Bailey 12m 13s and Luke Hurring 12m 17s.

Papanui Toc H won the masters relay in 1h 24m 9s from Sumner and Olympic. Richard Bennett was the fastest master with 12m 51s.

University won the women’s 4 x 4km in 58m 35s from University second team and North Canterbury. Kellie Palmer ran the fastest lap with 14m 15s, with Alicia Evans on 14m 43s and Sarah McSweeney on 15m 1s. Nicki McFadzien was the fastest W19 with 14m 29s. The masters women relay went to North Canterbury in 1h 9m 4s from Port Hills and Christchurch Tri. The fastest lap was 15m 42s by Fiona Gilroy.

Christchurch Boys’ High School won the M19 relay in 55m 12s, beating University and Papanui Toc H. Sam Mills was the fastest with 13m 16s.

Christchurch Race Walkers won the three lap walk event in 1h 5m 48s, with Kate Newitt the fastest in 20m 56s.

 

SLOVAKIA

World Schools’ Cross Country Championships – 21 April 2010

Margot Gibson of Christchurch won the girls title at the world schools cross country championships held in Liptovsky Mikulas Slovakia on Wednesday.

The three times New Zealand secondary schools’ junior cross country champion just pipped another New Zealander Rebekah Greene of Dunedin for the title. Gibson recorded 12m 7.05s for the 3500m with Greene crossing the finish in 12m 7.42s. Eleanor Wardleworth of Australia was third in 12m 14.63s with Belgium’s Imana Truyers fourth in 12m 18.40s. Other New Zealand placings were Kerry White 14th in 12m 39.21s, Georgie Grgec 20th in 12m 52.60s, Bridget Hicks 22nd in 13m 10.61s and Jaye Atkin 25th in 13m 36.88s. Despite finishing first and second in the race New Zealand were second in the teams race, beaten by Australia.

In 2008 Esther Keown won the world girls’ title at the championships held in the Czech Republic.

Michael Sutton was third in the boys’ 5500m in 16m 35.92s. Declan Wilson was 9th in 16m 51.86s, Jake Stamper 15th in 17m 19.35s, Sam Morreau 17th in 17m 24.78s, Hassan Roble 19th in 17m 28.28s and Mohamed Ali 26th in 18m 14.41s. New Zealand were fourth in the teams race.

Wanganui Collegiate entered a team in the girls’ teams race. Their placings were Laura Holt 15th in 13m 13.05s, Georgie Blackwood 17th in 13m 20.17s, Laura Bell 20th in 13m 24.19s, Kate Jefferd 26th in 13m 33.23s, Melissa Gillespie 29th in 13m 55.81s and Rachel Swansbury 45th in 14m 33.82s. They finished fourth in the teams race.

Auckland Grammar School entered a team in the boys’ teams race. Their placings were Seton Hill 7th in 17m 4.40s, Cameron Burstall 8th in 17m 11.41s, Magnus Whyte 13th in 17m 45.39s, Christopher Boswell 25th in 18m 10.09s, James Watt 40th in 18m 39.63s and Jack Moody 55th in 19m 19.76s. AGS were second in the teams race. 

 

CHINA

Yangzhou Half Marathon – 25 April 2010

Beijing Olympic Games marathon representative Nina Rillstone won the women’s section of the Yangzhou half marathon yesterday in a time of 1h 11m 8s.

It was the first international race for Rillstone since finishing 16th in the marathon in Beijing.

 

JAPAN

Nagano Marathon – 18 April 2010

Sarah Biss finished 15th in the women’s section of the Nagano marathon in a personal best time of 2h 47m 12s. Marathon won by Lisa Weightman of Australia 

in 2h 28m 48s.

 

CANADA

BANQUE SCOTIA Montreal Half Marathon – 18 April 2010

Berlin World Champs marathon representative Mary Davies won the women’s section of the Montreal Half Marathon, finishing 20th overall. 

Her winning time was a personal best of 1h 14m 45s.

 

MEXICO

IAAF World Race Walking Cup, Chihuahua, 15-16 May 2010

New Zealand will be represented at these world championships by Daniel Lord of Timaru and Natasha Murrihy of Taumarunui.

The 18 year old Lord will contest the junior men’s 10km road walk on 15 May and Murrihy also 18 will compete in the junior women’s 10km walk on 16 May.

Lord, who is a first year physical education student at University of Otago, is the New Zealand M19 3000m track, 5km road and 10km road walking champion.

Murrihy was second in both the New Zealand W19 3000m track and 10km road walking championships. Murrihy competed at last year’s Australian Youth Olympic Festival where she finished fourth in the 5000m walk.