News & Updates

15 April 2019 • High Performance

Athletics New Zealand: Initial Team Announcement for the 2019 Doha IAAF World Championships

Nine athletes have been selected who have met the IAAF Entry Standard for their event. An additional nine athletes have also been named on a conditional basis. Further team updates are anticipated over the coming months. Athletics New Zealand is anticipating that the Doha team will be the largest ever to represent New Zealand at an IAAF World Championships.

The nine New Zealand athletes who have met the IAAF Entry Standard for the 2019 Doha IAAF World Championships are:

Women:

Alana Barber (20km race walk)
Ruth Croft (marathon)
Portia Bing (400m hurdles)
Eliza McCartney (pole vault)
Maddison-Lee Wesche (shot put)
Men:

Jacko Gill (shot put)
Quentin Rew (20km and 50km race walk)
Jake Robertson (10,000m and Marathon)
Tom Walsh (shot put)
Tom Walsh and Jacko Gill will go head-to-head in the Men’s shot put, after both bettering the IAAF Entry Standard of 20.70m. After a disappointing result at the Sir Graeme Douglas International Track Challenge on March 21, Tom Walsh reaffirmed his dominance in the event with a series of throws over 21m at the Australian National Championships in early April.

2018 IAAF Under 20 World Champion Maddison-Lee Wesche claimed her place with a throw of 18.32m at the Sir Graeme Douglas International. The throw bettered her personal best of 17.10m by more than a metre and put her over the IAAF entry mark of 18.00m.

Eliza McCartney convincingly met the IAAF Entry Standard of 4.56m in January, clearing 4.85m at the Potts Classic in the Hawke’s Bay. Portia Bing set a new personal best and New Zealand Record of 55.86 at the Australian National Championships to meet the IAAF Entry Standard of 56.00 in the 400m hurdles.

Jake Robertson has been selected for the 10,000m based on his performance at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games where he set the NZ record of 27:30.90. He has also been selected for the marathon from Toronto last October.

In addition to Jake in the men’s marathon, Ruth Croft has been selected for the women’s marathon based on her recent 2hr 34.18 in Seoul.

2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Silver medallist Alana Barber has been selected for the 20km race walk. Quentin Rew has continued to excel and has met the IAAF Entry Standards in both the 20km and 50km race walk.

Conditional Selection

The nine athletes who have been conditionally selected have until the end of the qualification period (6 September 2019) to secure their place in the team by meeting the conditions of their selection.

Athletics New Zealand has chosen to announce conditionally selected athletes at this early stage, allowing athletes and coaches time to plan and prepare to compete in the Doha environment (assuming the conditions of their selection are met). More information about conditional selection can be found in the Athletics New Zealand 2019 IAAF World Championships Selection Policy here.

Women:

Camille Buscomb (5000m)
Zoe Hobbs (100m and 200m)
Olivia McTaggart (pole vault)
Angela Petty (800m)
Men:

Hamish Kerr (high jump)
Brad Mathas (800m)
Edward Osei-Nketia* (100m)
Zane Robertson (10,000m)
Nick Willis (1500m)
Zane Robertson and Nick Willis have been conditionally selected based on their top 12 placing at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Returning athletes at this level Camille Buscomb and Angela Petty have been conditionally selected as they are ranked in the Top 24 on the IAAF Top lists at this stage of the IAAF qualification period (at 07 April 2019).

First timers Zoe Hobbs, Hamish Kerr, Brad Mathas, Olivia McTaggart and Edward Osei-Nketia have been conditionally selected based on their strong performances over recent months, which placed them in the Top 32 on the IAAF Top lists at this stage of the IAAF qualification period (at 07 April 2019).

*Subject to confirmation of allegiance.

Selection and Team Inquiries: Scott Goodman
High Performance Director, Athletics New Zealand
021 898 608
scottg@athletics.org.nz

Athlete Interview Inquiries: Cherie Reid
Digital Marketing and Communications Manager, Athletics New Zealand
021 849 099
cherie@athletics.org.nz