News & Updates

19 October 2022 • Track and Field

New Zealand 10,000m Championships set to sparkle in Wellington

The Agency Group 10,000m Festival is an event of growing stature and this year will boast New Zealand 10,000m championship status.

The 2022 New Zealand 10,000m Championships, which features as part of the Agency Group 10,000m Festival in Wellington on Saturday November 19, promises to serve up a thrilling new chapter in the rich history of the championship.

Besides the attraction of chasing national honours at Newtown Park – the event also presents an enticing opportunity to pursue performance standards times in the race to secure selection to compete for New Zealand at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia in February.

First created in 2018, the Agency Group 10,000m Festival has gradually grown in stature, offering a welcome opportunity for athletes to run a fast 10,000m on the track.

Last year the event was run as a New Zealand Challenge event because of Covid restrictions around parts of the country – but this year the ‘festival’ will assume full New Zealand championship status with co-organiser Nick Horspool of Wellington Scottish relishing the prospect of a very special event on November 19.

“We are delighted to have seen the festival grow and each year we try to add something new,” says Nick.

“We get a lot of positive feedback that people love running here, and it is fun for spectators. We want to continue to keep growing the event and help bring back the prestige of running 10,000m on the track.

“Our priority is for people to run 10,000m quickly, so having the 10k national champs will the icing on the cake as it will help attract some of the top runners in the country.”

Athletics NZ Competitions Manager Jason Cameron said: “We are super excited about the Agency Group 10,000m Festival hosting the NZ 10,000m Championships as an innovative event designed for athletes and spectators. In particular, the atmosphere with the coming together of recreational and elite athletes in an inspiring setting. Races like this are why you want to train and race”.

The festival will boast five races on the programme – a race walk, two mixed races, a women’s only elite race (for the New Zealand senior women’s title) and a men’s only elite race – in which both the national senior and U20 men’s 10,000m titles will be on the line.

Organisers have attracted two of the highest-class of pacemakers in sub-28 minute 10,000m runner Oli Chignell and national women’s 1500m, mile, 3000m and 5000m gold medallist Laura Nagel, who will play vital pacing roles as athletes pursue World Cross Country Championships performance standards of 29:45 (senior men) and 34:30 (senior women). A pacemaker will also be designated to target 32:00 – the performance standard for the men’s U20 race in Bathurst.

Over the past four editions of the Agency Group 10,000m Festival some 40 per cent of athletes have claimed a PB and pace groups will be set up to target a range for runners of all abilities.

Organisers also hope to introduce an exciting entertainment innovation which will help generate a buoyant atmosphere among spectators and help push the athletes to achieve their target goals. More will be revealed in due course.

The event will also serve as the Wellington 10,000m Championship and NZ Masters 10,000m Championship races.

Entry is free. More details here

For more race updates go to the event Facebook and IG pages