Athletics New Zealand - Weekly Roundup
NEW ZEALAND CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Waikanae Park – 7 August 2010
Alex Parlane put the hammer down at the half way shook off his opposition and swept to victory in the senior men's 12,000m at the New Zealand cross country championships at Waikanae on Saturday.
The first year senior gave no one any chance of catching him, building up a commanding lead of 12 seconds going into the final 2km circuit.
He finished in 39m 14s, 15 seconds ahead of fast finishing former Aucklander now resident of Melbourne Shaun Krawitz. Dougal Thorburn ran the race of his life for third. Phil Costley going for his seventh cross country title was unable to stay with the pace set by the younger runners, finishing seventh.
Fiona Crombie retained her women's title, ahead of Lisa Robertson and Rachel Kingsford.
Parlane joins Richard Potts in 1991, Rex Maddaford in 1966 and Murray Halberg in 1953 as first year senior winners of the title.
“I’m ecstatic,” was Parlane’s reaction coming through to the recovery area.
“It was good, we went out fast and then had a slow second lap – I heard that I’d dropped Phil Costley and I was pretty happy with that and then I was feeling good at 5km and I sort of just worked into a good rhythm over the final 2km lap,” said Parlane.
“But I was knackered over the final kilometre, I was pretty much walking up the hill looking over my shoulder making sure I had it,” he added.
Parlane was full of praise for his coach Dave Drummond in taking his first senior title.
“Dave, I can’t thank him enough, he was running around the course telling me how far I’ve got on them and telling me I’m feeling good, it’s just a motivational boost – I’m speechless.”
Krawitz said that when Parlane made his move he knew that was going to be the winning move.
“I knew that I had to go with him, but it’s just not that easy sometimes,” said Krawitz.
“He had done enough to stay away from me in that last couple of kilometres.
Krawitz added that if he had been with Parlane with 3km to go he would have had him.
“But you’ve got to be there.”
“I’m happy though, first senior medal, so it’s always good to get one of those under the belt. Last year I had a really average run so I’m happy just to come back and be on the podium,” he said.
Thorburn said that it was his first top ten finish at the nationals.
“It’s been a long time coming after sticking to the sport for ages, but finally with a bit of consistent training, without being a full time doctor and just studying it’s starting to pay off,” he said.
Crombie of Canterbury had a tough race in retaining her women’s title over 8km. She went out early established control and held on grimly to win in 29m 39s.
Robertson of Auckland was a surprise second in 29m 53s, six seconds ahead of one of the pre-race favourites Kingsford of Otago.
“It was really tough, there was such good competition and I just had no idea how it was going to go at all. I knew I had to keep pushing because people from behind would be pushing Rachel, so I had to just keep going and going – I knew that my legs would take me through basically,“ said Crombie.
Robertson has suddenly elevated herself into world cross country championship contention.
“I was a bit surprised I just was aiming for the top ten, so I’m really rapt,” she said.
“It was Kellie Palmer (fourth) I was watching and I thought if she weakened and I got to the hills and had a bit left in the tank I’d get past her and I did.
“I was quite happy where I was sitting and then I was getting closer to second and I thought I’ll see if I can push past her (Kingsford) and I surprised myself,” said Robertson.
“Second in New Zealand, I think my Dad will be proud of me.”
Aaron Pulford of Waikao, fresh from his fifth placing, in New Zealand junior record time, in the 10,000m at the world junior championships in Canada, retained his M19 title.
He was tested over the first half by Auckland’s Cameron Graves but once into his powerful stride proved too strong for Graves on the hills.
Pulford said that he has done very little in the way of training since returning from Canada.
“I didn’t train much this week, I came off the 10km in Canada and just rested, I’ve only done two jogs this week – so I start back seriously training next week,” he said.
“I came down here for a good win and to try and help my team mate and training partner (Cory Whiting) get third, and he got third so it’s a good day for Waikato,” he added.
Graves said that a stitch problem he has flared up a bit.
“I can’t do much about it. It would have been closer but I don’t think I would have got him today,” he said.
Danielle Trevis of Auckland won the W19 6km in 21m 49s, over a minute ahead of Nicki McFadzien of Canterbury. Trevis said that it was a great turn around from when she competed at Waikanae two years ago.
“It’s a course I didn’t actually like that much two years ago, where I ended up ninth (in the W19 race) – one of my worst races of my life,” she said.
“But the course was all right this time. The coach said don’t sort of take the lead till about half way. I felt OK so I just sort of went for it. That last hurdle I sort of crawled over it, otherwise the last lap felt good,” she added.
Matt Baxter was superb winning the M16 title as he liked. The Taranaki flyer was around the 6km in 19m 59s, 40 seconds ahead of Ben Moynihan of Auckland.
“I planned to try and lead it from the start and just keep the lead and try and make it bigger. It pretty much went to plan as I hoped,” said Baxter.
Despite having it in the bag Baxter still raised a sustained sprint down the finishing straight.
“I always make sure at the end of all my runs that I do a fast stride out at the end so when it comes to these races then I always have something left at the end,” He added.
Grace McConnochie of Gisborne gave no one else in the field a chance in the W16 4km leading almost from start to finish in 15m 19s.
It was McConnochie’s first national title after finishing third in the W16 3000m in Christchurch in March.
The self trained runner said that it was a matter of getting into the lead and holding on.
“I just got a lead and managed to hold on to it to the end. I don’t really have much of a sprint finish so I tried to hold on to the lead,” she said.
Richard Bennett of Canterbury made it five years in a row as outright winner of the masters 8km. Fellow team mate Kerry Faass provided Bennett with some company over the first half before the long legged Bennett moved into full stride and completely dominated the race.
“I was definitely keen to get five in a row. Obviously I wanted to win my age group (45-49) but I was keen to win the race outright as well,” he said.
“Compared to my win here two years ago I felt it a bit tougher today – I certainly felt more tired at the finish, but it maybe because I’m just getting a bit older,” he added.
“The race doesn’t start till half way, just wanted to be good and steady in the first half and then pick it up in the second and that’s what I tried to do.”
Bennett would like to come back to Waikanae next year and make it six in a row.
“Phil Costley might have something to say about that actually. It depends on what he decides to do, but I will be back,” said Bennett.
Gabrielle O’Rourke in the 40-44 age group won the masters women 6km outright in a time of 23m 50s.
O’Rourke said that she hadn’t intended going to the lead so early in the race.
“But the pace was too slow so I decided to go and just see how I went, it just happened,” she said.
“The field was open without Vicky Humphries there – she fell over in training, it’s really unfortunate because she would have been a real factor.
“It was open for anyone to win, I just felt good today so it’s great to get a win – it’s really awesome,” said O’Rourke.
“I won my age group last year but I was third overall, I was really disappointed because age groups don’t mean much to me as first over the line.”
O’Rourke later raced the senior women’s race where she finished 14th in 33m 14s for the 8km.
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – 5 August 2010
Part of the DN Galan Meeting, staged in Kungsträdgården, downtown Stockholm.
World junior champion Jacko Gill of Takapuna shattered his own New Zealand 5kg shot put record in Stockholm yesterday.
Gill had the ball of steel out to an amazing 22.53m to add a massive 1.65m to his New Zealand M17 and M16 record set in winning the national title in Christchurch in March.
The 15 year old broke his record in the first round with 21.46m, improved to 21.64m in round three and the supreme effort came in the fifth attempt.
It is a world’s best performance this year for men 18 and the second best all time.
Swedish athletes, Oscar Vestlund was second with 18.36m and Simon Pettersson third with 17.14m.
In the Big Shot for women at the DN Galan meeting as a preview for the Diamond League meeting world and Olympic champion Valerie Vili had to bow yet again to Belarusian Nadezhda Ostapchuk in the exhibition event in downtown Stockholm. Ostapchuk was out to 20.63m with Vili achieving 19.79m. Vili was consistent in the six rounds with all her throws over 19m. Natalya Khoroneko Mikhnevich of Belarus was third with 19.57m.
Vili will next compete against Ostapchuk in London next weekend in the next round of the IAAF Diamond League.
NINOVE, BELGIUM
Flanders Cup meeting, Memorial Rasschaert – 7 August 2010
Nikki Hamblin won the 1500m in 4m 7.90s, from Kenyan Sally Kipyego 4m 8.46s and Molly Huddle of USA 4m 9.64s. Last month Hamblin set a NZ national record of 4m 5.93s in Heusden Belgium.
Monique Williams recorded 11.88s (-0.1) and 11.83s (-0.3) over 100m and 23.66s (+2.0) in the 200m. Andrew Kennedy won the 200m in 22.49s (-0.3). In the 1500m Tim Prendergast recorded 3m 56.71s and Nathan Barrett 3m 59.66s. Anna Bramley ran 2m 14.61s in the 800m.
CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE USA
Beacon to Beacon 10km Road Race – 7 August 2010
Leonora Joy-Petrina was fifth in 33m 25s. Lineth Chepkirui of Kenya won in a race record time of 30m 59s.
NOTTWIL, SWITZERLAND
Spitzen Leichtathletik Luzern 2010 – 8 August
Adrian Blincoe was fourth in the 3000m in 7m 56.99s. Won by David Torrence of USA in 7m 54.61s.
CHRISTCHUCH
Governors Bay to Lyttelton 10km road race – 7 August 2010
Mark Bailey was the fastest senior man in 30m 40s, with Rowan Hooper second fastest in 31m 38s. The handicap winner was Corey Platt. In the women Alex Williams was the fastest in 36m 48s with Jessica Richardson winning on handicap. In the masters, Martin Lukes was the fastest with 32m 42s, Michael McFie winner on handicap and in the women Fiona Gilroy was the fastest with 38m 29s and Wendy Fox-Turnbull winning on handicap.
TAUPO
Half Marathon – 1 August 2010
Phil Murray won in 1h 13m 56s with Laura Sinclair the first woman home in 1h 23m 23s.
TEAM APPOINTMENTS
Team Coaches selected for Oceania Area Championships, Cairns, Australia 23-25 September 2010
- Megan Gibbons (Dunedin)
- Lance Smith (Invercargill)
TEAM SELECTION
Oceania Cross country championships NZL representative athletes:
- Alex Parlane (Auckland)
- Rachel Kingsford (Otago)
The Oceania cross country championships will be held in conjunction with the Australian championships at Bald Hills Queensland on 21 August.
Rugby World Cup forces changes to Athletics New Zealand winter championships 2011
Athletics New Zealand has announced a revised programme for its winter national championships to be held in 2011. The change affects the New Zealand cross country, road and road relay national championship events. The revision has come about due to the clash of dates with the 2011 Rugby World Cup taking place in New Zealand from 9 September to 23 October 2011. New dates are:
23 July Athletics NZ Cross Country Championships Waikanae
20 Aug Athletics NZ Road Championships Wellington
3 Sept Athletics NZ Road Relay Championships Auckland