News & Updates
New Zealand Mile and 3000m Championship dates announced
Sam Tanner leads the field on his way to the national 3000m title in Hastings earlier this year (Photo: Alisha Lovrich)
The dates for the 2022 New Zealand Mile and 3000m Championships have been confirmed with Athletics NZ unveiling the exciting introduction of national men’s and women’s U20 mile titles for the first time.
In January, the first national senior mile championships took place for 52 years at a rocking Cooks Classic in Whanganui as Sam Tanner and Camille Buscomb took out the men’s and women’s senior titles, respectively.
The men’s race witnessed four sub-four-minute miles and next year the men’s and women’s senior mile championships return to Cooks Gardens, the spiritual home of the mile in New Zealand, on January 30 as part of the Cooks Classic.
It is especially fitting the championship return to Cooks Gardens in 2022 because just three days earlier marks the 60th anniversary of Peter Snell’s iconic world mile record of 3:54.4 set at the fabled Whanganui venue.
The men’s and women’s U20 3000m championships will also feature at the Cooks Classic.
The inaugural men’s and women’s U20 New Zealand mile championship will be an enticing prospect as athletes chase glory over the 1760yd distance at the Capital Classic in Wellington on 4 February.
A men’s U19 New Zealand mile championship was held in pre-metric days with Rod Dixon, the 1972 Olympic 1500m bronze medallist, taking the title on the last occasion it was run in 1969. It is the first time a New Zealand age-group mile title has been held for women.
Dates have also been determined for the senior men’s and women’s 3000m, which will return to the Potts Classic in Hastings on 22 January. Earlier this year Sam Tanner and Kara MacDermid snared the senior men’s and women’s titles, respectively.
“We are excited our senior national mile championship will once again be staged at Cooks Gardens after its successful return to national championship status in January after a gap of more than 50 years,” said Athletics NZ Competitions Manager Jason Cameron.
“The national senior mile championships provided some compelling competition and we are delighted to give an opportunity for our under-20 athletes to also fight for national mile honours at the Capital Classic.
“The under-20 3000m championship in Whanganui and under-20 mile championship in Wellington will guarantee some age-relevant competition for our younger athletes at some of our most iconic summer meets.”
National Championship Dates:
22 January – Senior men’s and women’s 3000m championships – Potts Classic, Hastings
30 January – Senior men’s and women’s mile and U20 men’s and women’s 3000 championships – Cooks Classic, Whanganui
4 February – U20 men’s and women’s mile – Capital Classic, Wellington
SHARE |
