Athletics New Zealand - Weekly Roundup

TAIWAN

Taipei International Track and Field Invitational 28-29 May 2010

Valerie Vili won the shot put with 20.24m, beating Taiwan’s Lin Jia-Ying who was out to 15.51m and Korea’s Lee Mi-Young with 15.47m.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Combined Events, Stara Boleslav 29/30 May 2010

Scott McLaren finished fourth in the decathlon with a score of 7288 points. His performances were: 100m 11.49s (+0.4) 755 points, long jump 6.98m (-0.4) 809, shot put 14.15m 738, high jump 1.87m 687, 400m 50.39s 797, 110m hurdles 15.75s (-0.2) 761, discus throw 42.59m 717, pole vault 4.20m 673, javelin throw 55.68m 673, 1500m 4m 40.31s 678.

Sarah Cowley won the heptathlon scoring 5652 points. Her performances were: 100m hurdles 14.17s (-0.2) 954, high jump 1.75m 916, shot put 11.77m 646, 200m 25.72s (+0.2) 822, long jump 6.05m (-0.7) 865, javelin throw 36.33m 597, 800m 2m 17.94s 852.

ENGLAND

Bedford, British Combined Events Champs, 5/6 June 2010

Scott McLaren 13th 6433 points.

Birmingham, Women’s League Premier, 5 June 2010

Monique Williams 100m 3rd 12.20s (-1.5), 200m 3rd 24.40s (-0.5).

JONATHAN WYATT

Jonathan Wyatt returned to Italy following his New Zealand mountain running title win in Motueka to collect two further victories on the European circuit. On 9 May Wyatt won the Bronzolo-Aldino 6km rising 900m in 36m 31s in Bronzolo Italy and in Meltina Italy on 16 May he won the Terlano-Meltina 9.6km rising 1000m in 48m 10s.

CHRISTCHURCH

SBS Christchurch Marathon – 6 June 2010

Matt Smith overcame the cold wet conditions to win the 30th anniversary SBS Christchurch marathon on Sunday morning.

The 35 year old and Jason Woolhouse had a minute lead at 15km, but by the half way mark, passed in 69m 22s, Smith was out on his own.

Running a slightly faster second half Smith was home in 2h 18m 14s. Woolhouse eventually withdrew with Luke Hurring of Christchurch coming through for second in 2h 25m 6s. Ethiopian runner Wondwosen Geleta, now a resident of Australia, was third in 2h 25m 21s.

Smith, a former English representative who has taken up New Zealand citizenship in Christchurch, won the New Zealand half marathon championship last year and is the national 5000m track champion. In the Gold Coast marathon last year Smith was third in 2h 16m 48s. He has a career best of 2h 14m 41s run in Dublin in 2006.

Australian Magda Karimali-Poulos, winner of the Blacktown Cities and Canberra marathons last year, was first in the women’s section by seven minutes in 2h 46m 32s. Sarah Biss of Rotorua was a gallant second in 2h 53m 29s with Wellington’s Suzi Richards third in 2h 55m 7s.

Shireen Crumpton of Otago won the associated women’s half marathon in 1h 16m 9s, with Australians Erwin McRae, in 1h 4m 59s, and Ben Toomey taking the first two placings in the men’s half. Bernie Portenski of Wellington, who finished tenth, set a world women’s 60-64 age group record of 1h 24m 56s. This broke Australian Theresia Baird’s record of 1h 26m 16s set in December 2001.

Roseanne Robinson of Otago won the half marathon walk in 1h 56m 18s, with Michael Thwaites of Greymouth second in 2h 8m 43s. 

Sam Dobson of Auckland won the 10km road race in 30m 51s, with Rachel Kingsford of Otago winning the women’s 10km in 34m 36s.

Results:

MARATHON

Men.-

Matt Smith (Chch) 2h 18m 14s 1, Luke Hurring (Chch) 2h 25m 6s 2, Wondwosen Geleta (Ethiopia) 2h 25m 21s 3.

Women.-

Magda Karimali-Poulos (Aust) 2h 46m 32s 1, Sarah Biss (Rotorua) 2h 53m 29s 2, Suzi Richards (Wgtn) 2h 55m 7s 3.

HALF MARATHON

Men.-

Erwin McRae (Aust) 1h 4m 59s 1, Ben Toomey (Aust) 1h 5m 34s 2, Phil Costley (Chch) 1h 6m 1s 3.

Women.-

Shireen Crumpton (Otago) 1h 16m 9s 1, Lisa Flint (Aust) 1h 16m 54s 2, Hanny Allston (Aust) 1h 18m 39s 3.

Men 10km: Sam Dobson (Akld) 30m 51s 1, Alex Fowler (Chch) 31m 28s 2, Matt Ingram (Chch) 31m 45s 3.

Women 10km: Rachel Kingsford (Otago) 34m 36s 1, Penny Peskett (North Shore) 35m 24s 2, Michelle Hopkins (Akld) 35m 49s 3.

OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS MARATHON SELECTIONS

New Zealand half marathon champion Maria Bentley of Palmerston North has been selected to represent New Zealand in the half marathon and Rowan Hooper of Christchurch in the marathon at the Oceania Championships on the Gold Coast on 4 July 2010. Hooper won the Auckland marathon in November last year in 2h 31m 46s. He also won the Christchurch marathon in 2h 21m 41s in 2008 and the Dunedin marathon in 2007 and 2008, running 2h 25m 27s in 2007.

TAURANGA

Tauranga Open Cross Country Meeting, Waipuna Park – 5 June 2010

Aaron Pulford of Hamilton followed up his win at the Huntly half marathon and his first national senior title two weeks ago, with victory at the annual Tauranga open cross country on Saturday. Pulford, training towards the world junior championships and the 10,000m, make light work of the 8060m course winning comfortably in 27m 5s. Steven O’Callaghan of Rotorua was second in 27m 53s, with Cory Whiting of Hamilton third in 29m 5s. John Caie of Tauranga was the first master running 30m 29s. Michael Sutton a M16 was the outright winner of the combined 6060m race with the M19. Sutton recorded 21m 8s, beating M19 Nathan Darling who was clocked at 22m 47s.

Demelza Murrihy-Topp of Taumarunui won the women’s 4060m in 15m 5s, beating W19 Anna-Lisa Uttley of Tauranga by 22 seconds. In third, and the first master, was Michelle Basson of Tauranga in 16m 4s. Kerry White of Te Aroha was the first W16 in 16m 36s.

QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS

Graeme Douglas MNZM, was made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to philanthropy and athletics. Sir Graeme founded Douglas Pharmaceuticals Ltd after he first made a cough syrup which became widely successful. Sir Graeme supports the Waitakere City Athletics Club, which includes coaching programmes for athletes. The new all weather track at Trusts Stadium is named after him. Sir Graeme was a representative shot-putter for Auckland.

WELLINGTON

Congratulations to Geoff Henry on winning the Sport Wellington Volunteer of the Year award. This is just reward for the tireless and often thankless hours of effort he has put in. It is also worth noting that three hours before his award was presented Geoff became a Granddad again, so this was a very special day indeed.

Also congratulations to Melissa Moon for her nomination for the Sports Personality Award and Mark Harris for his nomination for the Volunteer Award. Being nominated is a great achievement