News & Updates

A large and exciting New Zealand team of 104 athletes, have been selected to compete at the 2022 Oceania Championships in Mackay, Queensland on 7-11 June.

Comprising a healthy mix of youth and experience, the team includes senior, U20 and U18 athlete with some of the selected names using the event as a stepping-stone in their preparations for the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and World U20 Championships while for others the Oceania Championships will serve as an important opportunity to build experience on the international stage.

Five Tokyo Olympians and five Tokyo Paralympians will feature on the team headlined by World Indoor high jump bronze medallist Hamish Kerr, who will look to build on an outstanding 2022 campaign. Other Tokyo Olympians include Maddi Wesche, who set a shot PB of 19.10m at the New Zealand Track & Field Championships in March, Oceania hammer record-holder Lauren Bruce, Olympic shot put finalist Jacko Gill and middle-distance runner Sam Tanner, who is entered in the men’s 1500m.

A powerful line up of experienced Para Athletes is headed by Tokyo Paralympic gold medallists Lisa Adams – women’s shot F37 – and Holly Robinson – women’s javelin F46 – with the pair both targeting their specialist event, and the latter also competing in the women’s shot F46.

Double Paralympic sprint medallist Danielle Aitchison is in action in the women’s 100m and 200m T36 events with New Zealand Tokyo Paralympic representatives Ben Tuimaseve (men’s shot F37) and Caitlin Dore (women’s shot F37) will also be looking to make their mark. 

Other athletes selected include Zoe Hobbs, who three times during the 2021-22 season set a national women’s 100m record and who finished 11^th overall in the 60m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade. Pole vaulter Olivia McTaggart, who also impressed at World Indoors in Serbia when finishing sixth, is also entered.

Portia Bing (women’s 400m hurdles) and Tori Peeters (women’s javelin) have both posted national records this season and will also be looking to impress in Mackay, the former is also part of the women’s 4x400m squad.

Flying Kiwis, Eddie Osei-Nketia, the national men’s 100m champion, and joint New Zealand resident record holder for the men’s 100m distance Tiaan Whelpton are both entered in their favoured event. While 70m hammer thrower Nicole Bradley and 2018 Youth Olympic Games discus champion Connor Bell are other names set to feature. New Zealand 200m champion Georgia Hulls, who recently claimed top spot over the half-lap distance at the Australian Championships, has been selected for the 200m, 4x100m and 4x400m.

A large contingent of quality age-group athletes have also booked their ticket on the team.

The competition will also enable athletes to have their performances count towards their rankings for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Kirsten Hellier, Athletics NZ High Performance Coaching Manager, will serve as Team Leader for this competition.

If required, additional support staff and/or coaches will be advertised on the Athletics NZ website in the coming weeks.

The following athletes have been selected to the 2022 Oceania Area Championships team:

U18 Women
Marielle Venida: 100m, 4x400m
Talia van Rooyen: 100m, 100mH, 4x400m
Kimberley Walsh: 400m, 4x400m
Lucy Shennan: 400m, 4x400m
Maddie Kelso-Heap: 400m, 4x400m
Kiera Hall: 800m, 1500m, 4x400m
Rosaria Gibson: 1500m
Lilli Bing: Pole Vault
Jessica Hendren: High Jump
Jorja Gibbons: Long Jump
Suzannah Kennelly: Shot Put, Discus

U18 Men
Ben Lambert: 100m, 4x100m
Rylan Noome: 100m, 4x100m
Ryan Shotter: 100m, 4x100m
Asher Pettengell-Brand: 200m, 4x100m, 4x400m
James Ford: 800m, 4x400m
Callum O’Keeffe: 800m, 4x400m
Liam O’Donnell: 800m, 4x400m
Jonah Cropp: 5000m RW
Ethan Bone: High Jump
Blessing Sefo: Shot Put, Discus
Harrison McGregor: Shot Put, Discus
Levi Pupualii: Hammer Throw

Forbes Kennedy: Long Jump (Reserve)

 U20 Women
Nadia Evans: 100m
Emma Ferguson: 800m
Hannah Gapes: 3000m, 5000m
Julia Burnham: 100mH
Hannah Adye: Pole Vault
Natalia Rankin-Chi Tar: Shot Put, Discus
Elizabeth Hewitt: Hammer Throw
Abbey Moody: Javelin Throw

U20 Men
Zachary Saunders: 100m, 200m
Angus Lyver: 200m, Long Jump
James Harding: 800m, 1500m
Will Anthony: 3000m, 5000m
Jayden Williamson: High Jump
Adam Stack: High Jump
Max Abbot: Shot Put, Discus, Hammer Throw
Liam Ngchok-Wulf: Shot Put, Hammer Throw

 Senior Women
Livvy Wilson: 100m, 4x100m
Zoe Hobbs: 100m, 4x100m
Anna Percy: 100m, 4x100m
Georgia Hulls: 200m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Brook Somerfield: 4x100m
Rosie Elliott: 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Isabel Neal: 200m, 400m, 4x400m
Jordyn Blake: 4x400m
Camryn Smart: 400m, 4x400m
Kerry White: 800m, 1500m
Holly Manning 800m, 1500m
Rosa Twyford: 800m, 1500m
Hannah Miller: 5000m
Amy Robertson: 100mH
Portia Bing: 400mH, 4x400m
Courtney Ruske: 5000m RW, 10000m RW
Keeley O’Hagan: High Jump
Imogen Skelton: High Jump
Josephine Reeves: High Jump
Olivia McTaggart: Pole Vault
Imogen Ayris: Pole Vault
Mariah Ririnui: Long Jump
Anna Thomson: Triple Jump
Maddison Wesche: Shot Put
Tatiana Kaumoana: Discus
Savanna Scheen: Discus
Dyani Shepherd-Oates: Hammer Throw
Nicole Bradley: Hammer Throw
Lauren Bruce: Hammer Throw
Tori Peeters: Javelin Throw
Alessandra MacDonald: 100mH, 400mH
Christina Ryan: Heptathlon
Maddie Wilson: Heptathlon

 Senior Men
Eddie Osei-Nketia: 100m
Tiaan Whelpton: 100m
Jordan Bolland: 100m, 200m
Liam Webb: 200m, 400m
Hamish Gill: 400m
Brad Mathas: 800m
Michael Dawson: 800m
Sam Tanner: 1500m
Julian Oakley: 1500m, 5000m
Matthew Taylor: 1500m
Eric Speakman: 5000m
Hamish Kerr: High Jump
Ettiene Du Preez: Pole Vault
James Steyn: Pole Vault
Nick Palmer: Shot Put
Ryan Ballantyne: Shot Put
Jacko Gill: Shot Put
Connor Bell: Discus
Todd Bates: Hammer Throw
Antony Nobilo: Hammer Throw
Jared Neighbours: Javelin Throw
Max Attwell: Decathlon

Russell Green: 1500m (Reserve)

 Para Athletes:
Danielle Aitchison: T36 100m, T36 200m
Paddy Walsh: T64 100m, T64 200m
Lisa Adams: F37 Shot Put
Caitlin Dore: F37 Shot Put
Sionann Murphy: F37 Shot Put
Holly Robinson: F46 Javelin Throw, F46 Shot Put, Abled Bodied Javelin Throw
Mitch Joynt: T64 100m, T64 200m
Jaxon Woolley: T38 100m
Joe Smith: T37 100m, T37 200m, T37 400m
Rorie Poff: F38 Shot Put
Ben Tuimaseve: F37 Shot Put

***Prior to the Oceania Championships an (OAC Tour) is being organised to offer athletes an opportunity what it is like to travel, live, train and prepare with a team leading into a pinnacle event. The tour will replicate a 10-day pre-camp, on the Gold Coast, leading into the Oceania Athletics Championships. The tour will include a competition on the 28 May against the Australian World U20 team and as the competition is a permit meet, it may also be targeted by many senior athletes in their own preparation leading into this year’s pinnacle events. There will be another competition available in Mackay on the 4 June.