Athletics New Zealand - Weekly Roundup
BELGIUM
KBC Night of Athletics – 10 July 2010
Nikki Hamblin, in her build up to the Commonwealth Games, set a New Zealand 1500m record of 4m 5.93s at the KBC Night of Athletics in Heusden-Zolder Belgium.
The Cambridge runner clipped three tenths of a seconds off Toni Hodgkinson’s New Zealand national record set in Melbourne in March 2000.
She finished third behind Ethiopian Abebe Arigawi who ran 4m 1.96s and Erin Donohue of USA who clocked 4m 3.91s.
Hamblin, who gained New Zealand citizenship just prior to the world championships in Berlin last August, said that she didn’t think it was going to happen.
“The first lap was a bit messy, a lot of pushing and a lot of shoving. I sat towards the back and just had to believe I had the strength to come through. I started picking people off from about 600m,” she said.
Hamblin says that now that she has gone under 4m 6s she will be able to get into the big races.
“Then you really mix it with the top girls – once you are in those races it is much easier to get pulled around to even faster times.”
Stuart Farquhar was fourth in the javelin throw with 75.45m and Richard Olsen was sixth in heat two of the 1500m in 3m 50.56s.
UNITED KINGDOM, GATESHEAD
Diamond League – 10 July 2010
Valerie Vili suffered her third loss in recent competition against her arch rival Belarussian Nadzeya Ostapchuk at the Diamond League meeting in Gateshead UK.
Vili had to settle for second in the shot put with her opening round effort of 20.06m. Ostapchuk, who leads the world this year with 20.95m two weeks ago, opened with 20.23m and improved to 20.57m in round three.
They are now tied on points in the competition. The next meeting in the Diamond League is in Paris on Friday.
UNITED STATES
Peachtree 10km road race Piedmont Park, Atlanta – 4 July 2010
Kimberley Smith finished fourth in 31m 23s and Fiona Docherty was 17th in 34m 8s. Kenyan runners took the first three placings, Lineth Chepkurui winning in 30m 51s, from Alice Timbilili 31m 12s and Edna Kiplagat 31m 18s.
Boilermaker 15km road race Utica, New York – 11 July 2010
Anne Hare of Wellington finished fourth overall in the masters section winning $US300. Hare (46) was second in the 45-49 age group in 59m 7s. Overall Hare was 282nd out of 11,524 finishers.
SWITZERLAND, BERN – 10 July 2010
Annmarie Spragg recorded a personal best of 61.27s in finishing fourth in the 400m hurdles.
AUSTRALIA
Coral Coast Carnival, Cairns - 3 & 4 July 2010
Decathlon
3. Scott McLaren 7043pts (11.43 (-1,1), 6.78 (4.7), 13.31, 1.83, 49.77, 15.70 (1.7), 39.95, 4.40, 51.48, 4:45.42).
Heptathlon
2. Veronica Torr 5520pts (14.36 (-3.7), 1.71, 14.46, 25.50 (-1.6), 5.89 (2.2), 38.43, 2:26.36).
3. Sarah Cowley 5514pts (14.43 (-3.7), 1.77, 11.80, 25.71 (-1.6), 5.87 (3.8), 35.74, 2:22.67).
CANADA
World Junior Championships, warm up
Tom Walsh under the gaze of coach Ian Baird was the standout performer at the Hershey Harriers Metro meet in Vancouver. Competing at the Sangaard stadium Walsh had the shot out to 18.59m, setting him up for a strong performance in Moncton in two weeks time.
This was the first competition for the Kiwi World Junior Championship team at its Vancouver base camp.
The New Zealand team dominated the low key start to their tour, with seven winning performances.
Caroline Mellsop, who was also supported by her coach, Alec McNab, started the evening ball rolling with a win in the 400m hurdles in 69.41s.
Two athletes completed the sprint double on the night. Kristie Baillie and Joseph Millar both finished very strongly in the 100m and led early on to dominate their 200m fields. Baillie ran 13.07s (-0.3m/s) and 26.01s and Millar 10.97s (-0.6m/s) and 22.15s (+0.3m/s).
The only athlete who failed to win on the night had a good excuse, as she was beaten by her team mate.
Tina Hakeai threw an outstanding 48.95m in her last throw to overcome the challenge of Leesa Lealaisalanoa, whose 45.23m was her best effort of the night. The still conditions were not conducive to long throws but both athletes will be pleased to have their initial competition under their belts.
The team sails across to Victoria on Vancouver Island for their next competitive outing at the Victoria International tomorrow.
Terry Lomax
Bold Run Produces New National Record
Canterbury athlete Hannah Newbould reaped the rewards of a positive race plan to smash her own personal best and claim a new New Zealand W19 record at the Victoria International Classic meeting In Victoria, British Columbia.
Running at the venue used for the 1994 Commonwealth Games, Newbould took five seconds off her previous best in the 1500m to claim the record at 4m 14.53s. Rebecca Forlong set the previous record of 4m 16.20s in Dublin in 2005.
Rebekah Greene (Dunedin) mixed it with her older and more experienced opponents for three laps, but finally found the pace too hot. Her seventh placing and solid time of 4m 23.88s an ideal start to her campaign. Laura Nagel (Napier) was also just outside her personal best recording 4m 27.91s in tenth.
Angie Smit, ran agonizingly close to breaking Lorraine Moller’s long standing national W19 800m set at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games. Her fourth paced finish in 2m 3.87s was within 0.2s. of breaking the current record.
Other top performances in this second preparation meet for the NZ team included Tom Walsh (Timaru), this time throwing the heavier 7.26kg shot, 16.96m
Alex Jordan (Nelson) was pipped for the first time by a fellow Kiwi over 400m when Scott Burch (Palmerston North) ran a solid 48.45s to Jordan’s 48.49s.
The B race over 400m was won by Frazer Wickes (Auckland) in 48.63s with Glen Ballam (Invercargill) fourth in 49.54s
Anna Roche (Wellington) impressed with a strong finish in her 800m race to record 2m 08.55s.one of her fastest times.
Steeplechaser Caroline Mellsop (Wanganui) achieved a personal best in her 1500m race with 4.33.44 while Joseph Millar (Tauranga) equalled his 100m personal best of 10.74s to qualify for the International 100m final where he placed a creditable sixth in 10.85s. Miller went on to place second in the 200m in 21.63 from Tama Toki (Auckland) in 21.96s.
Kristie Baillie (Morrinsville) finished third in her 400m event, recording 56.47s.
The next stop for the New Zealand Team on this World Junior Championships tour will be on 9 July at the Kajaks Invitational. This meet completes the Pacific Series of events in British Columbia.
Full Results at http://www.trackclassic.com/results/
NZ W16 Discus Record to Siositina Hakeai
Manukau’s Siositina Hakeai broke the NZ Womens 16 age group discus record at the Kajaks International meet in Vancouver Canada with a throw of 51.52m.
The previous record, of 51.42 was set by her team-mate Leesa Lealaisalanoa at the NZ Championships in Christchurch in March. Lealaisalanoa was sixth with 48.39m.
A superbly judged run by Aaron Pulford brought him a personal best performance of 14m 12.10s in winning the Invitational 5000m. The race had been set up for the local athletes hoping to qualify for the Commonwealth Games but Pulford held back judiciously in the early laps before reducing the 40m gap behind the leader to a rapidly opening lead in two laps of committed running. The windy conditions meant that the high temperatures of earlier in the day had abated before the race start. The win, in an improvement of over 20s on his PB was the perfect boost to his confidence for the demanding 10000m at the Moncton Championships.
The wind was a major factor in the performances of the 800m contingent on the night. This still did not prevent Anna Roche from posting a PB of 2m 07.17s in placing third behind fellow Moncton bound Angie Smit 2m 6.34s.
Hannah Newbould continued her good form with victory in the open race with 2m 10.96s, Laura Nagal was eighth in 2m 15.37s.
Glen Ballam battled both the wind and being spiked on the hand in finishing strongly for third in a very tight finish. His time of 1m 52.58s augers well for his Championship hopes.
Auckland athlete and team captain Liz Lamb scored a confidence boosting victory over the Australian junior champion with a come from behind first time clearance of 1.80m. This was her first competition and should set her up well for her second outing in two days time. This sequence of events, which simulates the qualifying and final format in Moncton, is perfect preparation for this Brent Booker coached athlete.
Another PB was achieved by Ayla Gill in winning the open hammer throw. Her only successful effort was a fourth round 57.81m but a repeat of this performance at the Championships should secure a finals position.
Other athletes to feature at he meeting included 400m hurdler Michael Cochrane 52.86s and 400m runner Kristie Baillie 55.41s who both achieved their second best performances ever.
The team now moves to the two day Trevor Craven Meeting in Vancouver. This meet features a head to head clash with Australia over the 4 x 400m relay.
TAUPO
North Island Cross Country Championships, Spa Park – 10 July 2010
Alex Parlane left the rest of the leading North Island cross country runners in his wake as he stormed to a convincing win in the senior 9000m race at Spa Park Taupo on Saturday.
The first year senior led out early and quickly built up a commanding lead which he held to the finish. Parlane of Pakuranga recorded 28m 18s, heading in Wellington’s James Coubrough by 1m 9s. Stephen Lett of Takapuna had a great battle with Stefan Smith of Wellington for third. Lett gained the upper hand on the final lap finishing 13 seconds ahead of Smith in 29m 13s.
Parlane said that he was nervous at the start.
“I wasn’t ready for this level of competition and when I got on the start line I was a bit nervous,” he said.
“I was told to be patient but the pace wasn’t really there in that first lap so I just went out to see how I felt and no one really went with me,” he added.
Coubrough thought that Parlane had gone out too soon.
“I thought he might have gone out too hard – I was hoping that actually, but no, he had a brilliant run, left us for dead really, really impressive,” said Couborough.
Rachel Kingsford, a visitor from Dunedin, made it two years in a row in the senior women’s 5000m leading throughout in 17m 44s.
Annie Keown, unbeaten in Auckland this season, was second in 17m 52s with Laura Sinclair of Te Awamutu third in 18m 2s.
Cameron Graves of North Harbour equalled the M19 5000m race record with his convincing victory in 15m 33s. Jonathan Jackson of Auckland was second with Luke Longdill holding out his Waitakere club mate Michael Vercoe-Curtis for third.
Graves said that the 120km a week of training over the hills at Okura was paying off.
“Half way through the first lap I looked over my shoulder and saw I had a bit of a lead so I just went from there,” said Graves.
Matt Baxter of Taranaki set a record of 16m 10s in winning the M16 5000m.
Danielle Trevis of North Harbour, in her first race since competing at the world championships in Poland in March, broke her own record in the W19 4000m record. Travis clocked 14m 1s cutting 13 seconds off her winning time last year.
Other records went to Vicki Humphries of Wellington breaking her own 45 plus masters 5000m time with 19m 8s. Mikayla Nielsen of Hamilton bettered the W16 4000m record with her winning performance of 14m 25s.
Brooks Taupo Off Road Half Marathon and 10km – 11 July 2010
Sjors Corporaal won the half marathon in 1h 27m 55s, from Jason Ngauma 1h 28m 57s. Michelle Hyland won the women’s half in 1h 39m 20s from Kristine Reid 1h 41m 2s. Angus White won the 10km in 48m 59s and Sarah Carson the women’s in 52m 20s. Lisa Aldridge won the 10km walk in 1h 22m 15s and Stu Gallop the half marathon walk in 2h 27m 5s.
AUCKLAND
Harry Kerr Centennial walking relays, Mt Smart Stadium – 11 July 2010
Quentin Rew was 2m 39s outside the qualifying selection standard for the 20km walk for the Commonwealth Games in a special attempt on Sunday.
Rew, aiming for the time of 1h 28m, was on target over the first 10 laps of the 50 lap journey, but then slowly slipped away and the second half was tough going. He finished in a time of 1h 30m 39s.
Race walking Auckland team of Mike Parker, David Sim, Alana Barber, Tony Sargisson and Rodney Thorne won the 5 x 10km A grade relay in 4h 32m 2s from Waikato BofP Manawatu and Taranaki. Masters 10km walking records set during the relay were; M55-59 Mike Parker 48m 49s, W55-59 Sue Hoskin 60m 55s and W60-64 Marlene White 64m 13s.
Run Auckland Series, Takapuna – 11 July 2010
Zebedee Stone won the half marathon in 1h 14m 33s, beating Josh Rawlinson by nine seconds. Tara La Grange won the women’s half in 1h 23m 27s. The associated 10km went to Ben Logan in 32m 13s from Craig McLean 33m 6s. Helen Kay won the women’s 10km in 41m 32s.
Athletics New Zealand Annual Report Published
Athletics New Zealand’s Annual Report for 2009 – 2010 is now available as an online E-book. The 92 page report covers all of Athletics New Zealand’s activities for the period 1 April 2009 – 31 March 2010 including reports from all sections of the sport, financial results, championship results, New Zealand teams and New Zealand records.
Please use the link below to read the report. Click on individual sections in the index to go straight there or go through the report page by page using the controls in the lower right corner.