News & Updates

Dame Valerie Adams threw 18.68m to win the shot put at the Porritt Classic (Photo: Macspeedfoto/Alan McDonald)

New Zealand Competition Results

HAMILTON
Porritt Classic Meeting, Porritt Stadium – 13 February 2021
Portia Bing finally claimed the New Zealand resident record in the 400m hurdles, clocking 55.99 to erase Rebecca Wardell’s 2003 record of 56.25.

Bing, who holds the national record at 55.86, is closing in on the all-comers record of 55.38 set by Sally Gunnell at the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games, and the Tokyo Olympic Games qualifying time of 55.40.

“I’m really stoked. It has taken me a few runs this season to get there,” said Bing.

“Last week in Christchurch I ran a 58-second time because of the weather conditions, which was frustrating. So to turn it around from last week and set a resident record is amazing.”

Cameron French, on his home track, was around the 400m hurdles in 50.82.

Jacko Gill made it four consecutive victories over Tom Walsh in the shot put. He equalled his personal best of 21.52m, which he threw at the International Track Meeting in Christchurch. Walsh threw an almost identical throw from Christchurch, with 21.45m. Nick Palmer was third with his best ever effort of 17.91m.

Gill was happy with his performance, but would have liked to have gone a bit further.

“But to beat Tom is always an honour,” he said.

Dame Valerie Adams was happy with her winning throw of 18.68m in the women’s shot put.

“The series was much better, very happy with today and very consistent throughout and there is so much more there and the dots are slowly connecting.

“My time in Christchurch is slowly paying off and I just have to be patient. It’s still good to be competitive at my age and back with my kids,” she said.

Lauren Bruce was just 25cm short of her New Zealand record in the hammer throw. After earlier rounds of 68.66m, 71.75m, 70.72m and 67.80m, Bruce was out to 73.22m in her sixth throw.

Bruce said it was great to be out over 73 metres again.

“I’ve sat around 71 metres consistently this season. So to be back up there is exciting and there was more there on that last throw as well. It was frustrating to end the competition there, but it will come,” she said.

The Capital Classic and the nationals are next up for Bruce.

Julia Ratcliffe’s best throw of 71.39m came in round two. Nicole Bradley was third with 60.54m.

Camille Buscomb had to dig deep over the final 300m to hold out Rebekah Greene in the 1500m. Katherine Camp, who had earlier won the 800m in 2:09.27, provided the perfect pace over the first 800m setting the field up for a fast time. Buscomb won in a personal best 4:13.47. Greene also had a career best of 4:14.81 and Susannah Lynch in third again a best ever time of 4:21.46.

Buscomb’s previous best 1500m of 4:13.80 goes back to 2015 when she finished second in the New Zealand championships.

“Finally a PB in the 1500m,” said a delighted Buscomb.

“The last series of races I’ve done haven’t been great pacing, we’ve set it up and it hasn’t quite worked. So it was nice for Kat to offer and I was like wow, this could end up being one of the best opportunities I’ve got.

“We asked her to go through in a time that would be around that PB time and I was not feeling that great when she dropped out and so I was really holding on to show appreciation for the effort that had gone into the pacing.

“Becky was right behind me so it really made me stay on it the whole way. I couldn’t ease back when sometimes it’s nice to go a bit slower.”

Buscomb has another 1500m at the Sir Graeme Douglas meeting in two weeks, and then the nationals.

“And then we’ll make a new plan into Tokyo,” she added.

Hamish Gill, a former national junior sprint and long jump champion, found the 400m to his liking with an outstanding debut time of 47.72s for the distance.

Gill said it was a new experience.

“My coach Elana (Brown) wanted me to suffer, so she said it was okay to run a 400m. But I’m not sure how many more I want to run but we’ll see.

“I’m pretty happy with my time, I was hoping to run under 48 which I did,” he said.

Rowan Blaikie recorded a personal best of 48.86. Isabel Neal ran a PB of 54.61 in the women’s 400m.

Eddie Osei-Nketia won the sprint double in 10.28 and 21.46. Tiaan Whelpton, second in the 100m, recorded a personal best of 10.30. Zoe Hobbs set a meeting record of 11.39 in the 100m and Georgia Hulls set a meeting record of 23.78 in the 200m.

Hobbs and Hulls teamed up with Natasha Eady and Rosie Elliott to give the New Zealand resident record of 44.60 a crack in the 4 x 100m relay. Hobbs anchored them to a time of 44.72.

James Preston 1:47.84, won the 800m from Alex Beddoes 1:47.85 and 17-year-old James Harding 1:49.18, both personal best times.

Hayden Wilde won the 5000m in a personal best 13:29.47. Raced in the morning after being postponed from Friday evening, Wilde led in Oli Chignell 13:36.74 PB and Hamish Carson 13:56.50 PB.

Shay Veitch went close to his best in the long jump, clearing 7.63m. Ben Langton Burnell was out to 69.83m in the javelin with Campbell Robb 53.25m and Toby Robb 50.57m both throwing their best ever.

Joe Smith won the Para Athlete 100m in 12.51, Mitch Joynt the 200m in 23.91 and Anna Steven the 100m in 14.32.

The six meeting records set were: James Preston 800m 1:47.84, Hayden Wilde 5000m 13:29.47, Zoe Hobbs 100m 11.39, Georgia Hulls 200m 23.78, Portia Bing 400m hurdles 55.99 and Lauren Bruce hammer throw 73.22m.

New Zealand Para Athlete records were set by Ben Tuimaseve F37 in the 5kg shot put with 12.65m which improves on his own record of 12.08m in Dubai in 2019. Sionann Murphy T37 7.29m with the 3kg shot was an under 17 and under 20 record. Danielle Aitchison T36 broke her own 200m record of 29.64 with a clocking of 29.60.

WELLINGTON
Sola Power Throwers Academy Meeting, 10th Anniversary, Moera Lower Hutt – 6 February 2021
Jacko Gill was out to 21.19m in the shot put, with Nathaniel Sulupo sending the shot to a PB 16.21m. He also had a DT of 49.00m. Kaia Tupu-South SP 14.95m, DT 47.96m. Mikayla Sola 3kg SP 12.20m, 3kg HT 43.33m. Elizabeth Hewitt 3kg SP 12.11m, DT 45.92m PB, 3kg HT 50.63m. Montaya Wharehinga HT 46.39m. Anya Dunlop-Brown 3kg HT 44.48m. Zion Trigger-Faitele 6kg SP 14.41m, 1.75kg DT 50.40m PB, 6kg HT 33.80m PB. Hanno Nel 5kg SP 14.61m PB. Va’a Tui 5kg SP 13.37m PB. Philip Jensen, in his first competition in nearly six years, HT 50.23m. Alexander Hewitt 4kg HT 53.25m. Max Abbot 6kg HT 44.81m.

Twilight Meeting, Newtown Park – 10 February 2021
Amy Walker 400m 59.52. Zechariah Kingi 100m 10.92 +1.6 PB. Ethan Mckenzie 400m 51.90, Jack Hunter 51.90, Axel McKenna 52.69. Kosta Mille 600m 1:27.18, Hunter 1:27.41. Paul Martelletti 5000m 14:57.94, Hirotaka Tanimoto 15:52.86, Robert Prendergast 15:55.78. Ruby Muir 17:00.10 PB, Deborah Lynch 18:05.74 PB, Esther George 18:10.34 PB.

Jumps and Throws Meeting, Newtown Park – 13 February 2021
Kaleb Sola 6kg HT 45.18m, 800g JT 42.00m. Elizabeth Hewitt HT 45.29m. Alexander Hewitt 5kg HT 42.99m. Mikayla Sola 3kg HT 40.76m.

CHRISTCHURCH
Athletics Canterbury Meeting, Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub – 13 February 2021
Elliot Nye 60m 7.13 +1.1, 100m 11.05 +2.0, 200m 21.96 +0.9. Rebecca Peterson 100m 12.81 -1.6, 200m 25.44 +2.8. Charlie Cameron PV 3.30m. Helena Dinnissen LJ 5.39m -1.4. Hannah Maloney LJ 5.22m -3.5. Samuel de Roo LJ 6.74m +2.3 also 5.70m +1.4. Quinn Andis LJ 6.20m -2.4. Thomas Richards 3000m 9:07.28. Kiera Hall 3000m 10:52.29. Tapenisa Havea DT 45.74m, 4kg SP 12.04m. Levi Murdoch HJ 1.90m. Ben Phillips 1.5kg DT 40.09m. Ethan Gow TJ 12.99m -4.2. Laura Smith 800m 2:15.12. John Gerber 400m 51.24.

DUNEDIN
Otago Track and Field Championships, Caledonian Ground – 13/14 February 2021
Will Campbell 100m 11.33 +0.6, 200m 24.14 -3.3. Tamsin Harvey 100m 12.50 +1.3, 200m 25.92 -2.2. Fergus Mcleay 400m 50.28. Sophie McCormick 400m 57.48. Tony Tan M55 400m 58.72 Otago M55 record. Laura MacCulloch 800m 2:16.45. Janus Staufenberg 1500m 3:52.90. Russell Green 3000m 8:47.74. Oliver O’Sullivan 3000m 8:53.56. Sarah Douglas 3000m 10:30.95. Cameron Moffitt 400m H 57.62, 6kg SP 13.13m, LJ 6.36m +0.2. Jade Zaia 2kg DT 47.89m. Zharna Beattie DT 43.62m and 43.99m. Ethan Walker 800g JT 52.82m and 47.56m. Anton Schroder JT 56.45m. Michael Mitchell JT 52.34m.

International Results

USA INDOORS
New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex, Staten Island New York, 13 February: Sam Tanner scored a notable double over Nick Willis in the 1500m. The outstanding 20-year-old from Tauranga not only beat Willis, finishing third in 3m 34.72, but he broke Willis’ New Zealand indoor record of 3m 35.80 set in Birmingham UK in 2010.

Willis was seventh in the race in 3:37.53. Australian Oliver Hoare won in 3:32.35. Tanner also qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, running under the entry time of 3:35.00.

Birmingham AL, 7 February: Jack Elliott 800m 1:55.63 PB (5RB). 12 February: Jack Elliott mile 4:13.16 PB (4). 13 February: Jack Elliott 3000m 8:35.46 PB (2).

Allendale MI, 12 February: Chris Devaney 3000m 8:18.27 PB (5). Toby Gualter 5000m 14:08.65 PB (9).

Geneva OH, 13 February: James Uhlenberg 3000m 8:09.00 (5).

Pittsburg KS, 12 February: Christopher Goodwin LJ 7.54m PB (1). Kayla Goodwin HJ 1.57m (6). 13 February: Christopher Goodwin TJ 15.01m PB (1), Kayla Goodwin 60m 8.88 (1), TJ 12.18m (2).

Nashville TN, 12 February: Tom Moulai 5000m 14:26.25 PB (3).

Lynchburg VA, 13 February: Colin Kirkpatrick 3000m 8:35.92 PB (1).

SWEDEN INDOORS
Sollentuna 13 February: Tim Robertson 3000m 8:20.66 PB (9RB).

AUSTRALIA
Sally Pearson Shield, QSAC Brisbane, 6 February: Caitlin McQuilkin-Bell 1500m 4:24.40 PB (1).

AACT Championships, Canberra, 13/14 February: Liam Webb 100m 11.05 +2.9 (6H1), 200m 22.33 -1.5 (2H2), 400m 47.81 PB (8R2).

Victorian 5000m championships, Box Hill Melbourne, 11 February: David Ridley 15:07.85 (18).

Road and Trail Races Around the Country

WHANGAREI
Hatea 5km Series, 10 February: Ben Winder 17:46, Sam Rout 18:51, Tim Goodwin 19:33.

AUCKLAND
O’Hagan’s 5km, Viaduct Harbour, 9 February: Liam Templeton 17:47, Adam Berry 17:53, Nick Holtum 17:57. Tia Knight 20:28.

Rat Race 5km, Takapuna, 10 February: Joel Martin 19:45, Shaun Cooper 20:15, Conan Christmas 21:22, Jacqueline Kemp 22:16.

Coatesville Half Marathon, 14 February: Rodwyn Isaacs 1:14:13, Daniel Plews 1:18:42, Ants Blackmoore 1:23:23. Bethany Bromfield 1:27:22, Jess Gerry 1:32:47, Katie Rice 1:34:00. 8km; James Marsh 28:34, George Mawson 28:59, Alex Malkin 31:10. Melissa Chan Chui 35:28, Anna Hickey 35:30, Zari Lindsay 36:47.

HAMILTON
Eastside Riverpath 5km, 9 February: John Bowe 18:02, John Mering 18:03, Callum MacDonald 18:39. Mia Milne 20:42.

ROTORUA
Tarawera Ultramarathon, 13 February: 100 miles; Matt Urbanski (USA) 18:04:34, Doug Moore 19:11:33, Louis Schindler 19:42:54. Katie Wright 20:19:19, Fiona Hayvice 20:20:42, Dawn Tuffery 22:28:55. 102km; Rhys Johnston 9:39:29, Chris Sanson 9:42:46, Simon Cochrane 9:45:06. Ruth Croft 9:21:03, Konoka Azumi 10:12:09, Sue Crowley 10:56:28. 50km; Jono Jackson 3:42:01, Daniel Shaw 4:07:22, Matthew Payne 4:10:01. Caitlin Fielder 3:53:55, Tamara Clarke 4:26:22, Genevieve Coffey 4:34:55. 21.1km; David Haunschmidt 1:24:49, Jake Wilkinson 1:30:46, Mike Robinson 1:35:47. Talia Copestake 1:51:07, Ewa Wystepek 1:51:35, Angela Hancock 1:51:47.

NAPIER.
Tuesday Tune-Up 5km, Westshore Napier, 9 February: Mark Fisher 18:38, Tim McDougall 20:15, Connor Heywood 20:46. Kirsten Milne 20:47.

WELLINGTON
Waterfront 5km Series, 9 February: Harry Burnard 17:10, Daniel Gardner 18:11, Steve Gawn 18:21. Bridget Kiddle 19:29, Emma Bassett 21:23, Nina Maurer 21:33. Walk; Sean Lake 31:03, Jon Roskvist 32:35, David Sim 34:24. Daphne Jones 38:18.

XTERRA Wellington Festival, Queen Elizabeth Park Paekakariki, 13 February: 21.1km; Aaron Lynch 1:29:03, Deborah Lynch 1:34:17, Mel Aitken 1:37:42. 14km; Miroslav Horak 1:10:35. Jackie Holley 1:13:47. 6km; Nikolai Lally 27:03. Sarah Fountain 31:53.

The Honest 10km, Oriental Bay, 14 February: Hirotaka Tanimoto 35:23, Daniel Coates 35:43, Magnus Monahan 37:40.

WESTPORT
Buller Gorge Marathon, 13 February: Blair McWhirter 2:32:01, Clinton Manderson 2:48:51, James Richmond 2:57:38. Hannah Oldroyd 2:59:04, Lisa Brignull 3:09:24, Catherine Calverley 3:12:00. Walk; Kathryn Cocker 5:17:21, Jonathan Dixon 5:28:40. Half marathon; Andy Good 1:05:22 PB, Caden Shields 1:05:27, Daniel Balchin 1:06:28. Sammy Benson-Pope 1:25:44 PB, Nicola Handley 1:28:14, Serena Kelly 1:30:41. Walk; Jon Roskvist 2:23:15, Michael Thwaites 2:27:20, Tania Gardner 2:27:34.

CHRISTCHURCH
Shoe Clinic Asics 5km Series #5, North Hagley Park, 9 February: Mark Bailey 15:42, Blair McWhirter 15:51, Matt Dryden 16:20. Hannah Oldroyd 17:42, Olivia Ritchie 17:57, Melanie Angland 18:55.