News & Updates

The passing of gifted middle-distance runner Sylvia Potts in August 1999, marked the start of one of the most successful annual one-day athletics meetings in New Zealand – the Sylvia Potts Classic.

The meeting also recognises Allan Potts, who passed away in May 2014, and the event is now known as the Allan and Sylvia Potts Track and Field Classic. Sylvia won six national titles and represented New Zealand at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and Commonwealth Games in both Edinburgh and Christchurch. Sylvia was coached by husband, Allan.

First held at Nelson Park Hastings in 2000, the meeting later moved to its current venue – Mitre10 Park and this year toasts its 25th anniversary.

1 – Zoe Hobbs smashes national mark

A national record in the women’s 100m by Zoe Hobbs lit up the 2022 edition as Zoe chipped 0.06 from her own mark clocked the previous month.

Competing in ideal conditions, the then 24-year-old athlete blitzed to 11.21 (+1.7m/s) in her heat to take another step on the road to world-class. The Taranaki-raised, Auckland-based athlete returned to run a blistering 11.14 in the final, although a wind speed of +2.2m/s was just over the allowable limit for record purposes.

“The strategy was to go hard in both [the heat and the final] as it’s not often we get perfect conditions like this,” said Hobbs who recorded a sixth straight 100m victory at the Potts Classic.

“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.”

2 – Angie Petty dominates memorial 800m

As a winner of nine Sylvia Potts Memorial 800m races Angie Petty is by any measure a Potts Classic icon.

The marquee event of the meet, which always forms its climax, has provided many great memories over the past 25 years and no athlete has contributed more to the race than the Cantabrian middle-distance athlete.

From 2010 to 2017 she won every single edition, setting a meet record time of 2:03.43 in 2016. Angie, who herself represented her country at the 2016 Rio Olympics, claimed a ninth victory in the race in 2019.

3 – McCartney soars high at 4.85m

Eliza McCartney ignited the 20^th edition of the Potts Classic by defeating an international field to capture a New Zealand resident record mark of 4.85m which still exists today.

The 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medallist, who had an injury-disrupted 2018 season, returned to form by clearing a height – which still remains the joint third best of her career. She also made a brave attempt to clear the magical 5m barrier. Finland’s Rio Olympian Wilma Murto finished second with a best of 4.41m ahead of Kiwi Olivia McTaggart in third (4.31m).

Comfortably eclipsing the meet record, Eliza said of her performance: “It was great to be back at the Potts Classic in Hastings. It never disappoints and most pole vaulters just love it here.”

4 – Whelpton twice matches NZ resident record

Sprint ace Tiaan Whelpton twice equalled the New Zealand 100m resident record at the 2023 Potts Classic on a day of quality and consistent sprinting in Hastings.

The 22-year-old opened his account by registering 10.18 in the heats with a slight tailwind of 0.4m/s before repeating the time to win the final with a windspeed of 0.0m/s.

In a statistical quirk, Whelpton also recorded 10.18 at this same meet 12 months earlier to equal the New Zealand resident record of Joseph Millar set in 2017.

“I’m super happy,” said Whelpton. “The goal for me is to slip into the 10.1s more consistently and being able to do that in today’s conditions, which were more difficult than last year. I’m definitely happy with that.”

5 – Heavyweight performers excel

Many of New Zealand’s finest have performed with pride at the meeting. Double Olympic bronze medallist Tom Walsh holds the meet record in the men’s shot of 21.38m and is a four-time winner at the Potts Classic. Double Olympic champion Dame Valerie Adams holds the meet record of 18.65m in the women’s shot and middle-distance star Sam Tanner is the owner of the meet record in the 3000m (7:54.16).

The event has also attracted a number of top-quality overseas performers. German pole vaulter Tobias Scherbath was one such performer winning the 2018 edition in a meet record of 5.65m.