News & Updates

In an unforgettable day for New Zealand sprinting, Zoe Hobbs slashed a further 0.06 from her New Zealand women’s 100m – subject to ratification – by clocking 11.21 (+1.7m/s) at the Potts Classic in Hastings.

The 24-year-old, who posted an outright national 100m record of 11.27 in Auckland in December, went even better today in the heats of the 100m. She later returned to the track to win the final in a blistering 11.14 (2.2m/s) – although the windspeed was just above the allowable limit for record purposes. Georgia Hulls (Hastings) placed second in 11.43 with Rosie Elliott (Christchurch Old Boys) third in 11.51.

Hobbs, who continues to go from strength to strength said: “The strategy was to go hard in both (the heat and the final) as it’s not often we get perfect conditions like this.

“I was so happy to get the record in the heat. It ticked that box going into the final. I then just wanted to refocus for the final and reinforce what I’d done in the heat. I have bigger goals and I wanted to qualify for worlds. To run 11.14 was bittersweet. A big aim is to run 11.15 (with a legal time) as that is the standard for worlds (World Championships) and Commonwealth Games (11.15 is the Athletics NZ B Performance standard) but I will take a national record.”

In the men’s 100m, rising star Tiaan Whelpton also unleashed a pair of blistering runs in near perfect conditions to climb to joint number four on the all-time New Zealand lists. The tall 21-year-old sprinter from Christchurch blasted to 10.09 in the heats – 0.02 quicker than Gus Nketia’s 28-year-old national record – but the windspeed of 3.8m/s was above the legal limit.

Whelpton returned for the final to claim a crushing victory in a time of 10.18 (1.9m/s) to equal the New Zealand Resident record mark of Joseph Millar. He finished 0.42 clear of second placed Cody Wilson (Mana). The Athletics NZ B Performance Standard for the Commonwealth Games is 10.12.

Whelpton said: “I was absolutely stoked to run 10.09 in the heat, it was funny I have a mental skills coach in Australia who said I would run 10.09.

“I then came back for the final and although I was quite tired out of the blocks, I decided to go for it. I wanted to run 10.2 something, but in the back of my head I thought I could go under 10 (seconds). I can’t express how happy I am.”

Elsewhere, Olivia McTaggart (North Harbour Bays) set a new PB of 4.60m to win the women’s pole vault and claim her second Commonwealth Games A Performance standard.

The 22-year-old, who represented New Zealand at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, cleared 4.60m at the first time of asking to clad 5cm on to her previous PB. She also made three unsuccessful attempts at the World Championship entry standard of 4.70m but was hugely lifted by the performance.

“That 4.60m has been in the works for a long time and my training has been going well and to come out here today and get a PB at one of my favourite meets I’m super happy, but I know there is more to come.”

Portia Bing obliterated her previous 400m PB by 0.60 to claim an emphatic win in the women’s 400m. The Auckland-based athlete ran a swift 52.78 to comfortably defeat the North Harbour Bays duo Izzy Neal (54.35) and Camryn Smart (54.85), the silver and gold medallists, respectively for the distance at the 2021 New Zealand Championships.

“I think the biggest thing for me is get back to basics,” says Bing, who still aims to compete in the 400m hurdles. “Last year I put such a big focus on (the 400m) hurdles I lost some of my speed but this year I’ve prioritised speed. I train with Zoe Hobbs every day, and I think she’s a great training partner. It has lifted my performances.”

Julian Oakley (Tauranga) added the national 3000m crown to the 1500m title he won last March, registering a time of 8:00.96. After a fast 1km led by Eric Speakman, the second kilometre slowed only for Oakley to grasp the nettle and make a decisive strike for home with 800m to go. Despite facing intense pressure around the final bend from Speakman and the fast-finishing Matthew Taylor, Oakley resisted the challenge to add another national title to his collection.

Speakman (8.01.46) from the local Napier club added yet another national silver to his collection after also filling the second rung of the podium at each of the 1500m, mile, 3000m and 5000m last year. Taylor, the 2020 national 3000m champion, finished 0.12 adrift in bronze.

Oakley said: “I felt the opportunity 800m out, and when I went in the lead I didn’t want to give it up, so it was all out from there.

“It is rewarding (to win a national title). I’m trying to juggle training around working full-time and  taking a bit of pressure off myself. For me, running is not the main priority right now. It is more fun but with that attitude I know the times and the wins will come.”

Five years after her last national 3000m victory, Laura Nagel regained the title with the sweetest of wins on her home patch. Raised in Hawkes Bay a strong final 400m broke the resistance of the opposition as she crossed the line in gold (9:28.87). Penelope Salmon of Auckland City wiped more than seven-and-half seconds from her best to record 9:30.09 with Nagel’s North Harbour Bays training partner Brigid Dennehy setting a huge PB of 9:38.23 in third.

For Nagel, who faced several years on the sidelines through injury and only made her competitive returned at last year’s national championships, she said: “I felt like it has been a long road back. I’m happy with today, although I feel like I’m learning to race once again – it was a shock to the legs.

“Just two years ago I didn’t think I’d be able to run but the last six months everything has started to come together. I feel I now have the right recipe to keep moving up.”

More local success was enjoyed in the women’s 800m as Holly Manning claimed a gutsy victory in the Sylvia Potts Memorial. The in-form Hastings AC athlete finished strongly to claim top spot in 2:06.23 with two-time former winner Katherine Camp (2:07.47) in second just 0.03 ahead of Jennifer Hauke (Papakura).

In the men’s two-lap race, national champion James Preston (Wellington Scottish) produced a dominant display to win in 1:48.30 – clear of 18-year-old James Harding in 1:49.70.

Tokyo Olympian Lauren Bruce had a busy afternoon competing across three events. In her speciality, the women’s hammer, she enjoyed a solid outing, taking top spot with 71.38m to finish in front of Nicole Bradley (North Harbour Bays) who illustrated the rising depth in this event by coming with 15cm of her PB set in December with a hurl of 69.92m.

Bruce returned to the circle for her first discus competition since the 2020 New Zealand Championships, finishing third (49.40m) behind winner Tatiana Kaumoana (Te Aroha), who set her second PB of the year with a best of 53.74m.

Bruce then signed off her hectic day by adding 1cm to her PB to place second in the women’s shot with a best of 13.35m. The competition was won courtesy of a lifetime best by Natalia Rankin-Chitar (14.46m).

Anthony Nobilo (North Harbour Bays) bettered his meeting record with a best throw of 63.59m. In the women’s long jump, Mariah Ririnui (Athletics Tauranga) was a dominant winner with a top mark of 6.08m (+3.0m/s). Shay Veitch continued his excellent form to win the men’s long jump with 7.67m (+2.4m/s).

Para-athlete Sionnan Murphy added 19cm to her national U18, U19 and U20 discus F37 records with a best of 19.91m.

Full results here