
The NZ 10000m Championships are set to take place on January 18 in the picturesque town of Inglewood, Taranaki. With a strong lineup of athletes across senior and junior categories, the longest track championship is set to heat up TET Stadium over 25 laps.
Senior Women
Leading the charge in the senior women’s category is Lisa Cross from TTT Runners in Auckland. Cross, with a best over the distance of 34:16.71, won the open women’s title in 2020. She will be up against formidable competition including local talent Emily Roughan from Egmont Athletics. Roughan holds a best of 36:13.07 but has a 34:05 time on the roads. The 2022 World Cross Country representative has previously been based in Flagstaff, Arizona, in the USA but has recently returned home to Taranaki.
Eva Pringle from Whippets Running Project and Martina Conner from Port Hills Athletic Club bring strong representations from Canterbury. Pringle won the NZ 10km Road Championship earlier this year. Racing around the rain-soaked Levels Raceway in Timaru as part of the Timaru Ten, Pringle ran away from a strong field over the last 1500m to claim her first national roads title. She also took the women’s 3000m steeple chase title in 2024. Conner boasts a 10km best of 34:00 on the roads from November 2024, putting her firmly in contention for the medals.
World-beating master’s athlete Sally Gibbs, from Wanganui Athletic & Harrier Club, is also set to line up in Taranaki. Gibbs holds master’s world records in the W60 10000m and 5000m at 37:38.98 and 17:50.72, respectively. Rachel O’Brien from TTT Runners, Auckland, completes a dynamic field.
Senior Men
The senior men’s race is packed with talent, with Julian Oakley from Athletics Tauranga being one to watch. On paper, he holds a 29:19.36 10km PB and a 1:03:49 Half Marathon PB and is coming off a win from the 2024 Daiken Night of 5s. Oakley is a 3:55 miler at his best, and his finishing speed is not to be underestimated. Eric Speakman of Victoria University brings a best performance on the roads of 29:46. Speakman has been making the shift to longer distances in recent years, including taking the finish line honours at the 2024 NZ 5km Road Championships as part of the Runway5 in Rotorua.
Wellington boasts a strong contingent led by Toby Gualter. Gaulter’s best of 28:57.95 from the Raleigh Relays in March 2024 sets him as the top seed in the field. Recently returned from studying in the USA at NC State, Gaulter has been clocking off some huge weeks in his quest for his first senior national title.
The other Wellingtonians include Liam Chesney, Matt Croxford, and Nathan Tse.
Michael Sutton from Athletics Tauranga and Oska Inkster-Baynes from the University of Canterbury Athletics Club add depth to this highly competitive field.

Junior Under 20 Men
In the junior under 20 men’s category, all eyes will be on the emerging talents from Athletics Tauranga, Lachie Parsons and Daniel Barback, who will be looking to make their mark. They will face a strong challenge from Thomas Hooks of Egmont Athletics, representing the host region of Taranaki.
With such a diverse and talented group of athletes, the NZ 10000m Championships in Inglewood promise a close-fought evening of racing.
View the live results for the New Zealand 10000m Championships here.
There will be no live stream.
Event Schedule
- 6:00 pm: Open 800m (10 years and above)
- 6:30 pm: Open 3000m Walk (U16 upwards)
- 7:00 pm: Invitational Women’s Pursuit Relay (2,000m)
- 7:15 pm: Senior Women’s 10,000m NZ Championship
- 8:00 pm: Invitational Men’s Pursuit Relay (2,000m)
- 8:15 pm: Senior Men’s/U20 Men’s 10,000m NZ Championship