News & Updates

New Zealand Track & Field results

AUCKLAND

McKinnon Shield Meeting #5, Yvette Williams Track Pakuranga and AUT Millennium Stadium North Shore – 3 December 2022
Tommy Te Puni sliced nearly two seconds off his best 400m with an impressive 47.52 clocking. He was quick out the blocks and held it well down the back straight before having to fight hard in the home straight into a steady headwind. However, the latest performance by the 20-year-old national junior sprint champion in 2020 and 2021 does not signal a switch to the longer distance this season.

“Maybe, but I don’t know if I’m ready for that right now,” said Te Puni.

“Maybe in a couple of years I’ll get into them.”

He was pleased with the race as it shows that he is capable of faster and a 200m PB is not too far away.

“I got out pretty well, I took it a bit easy I think to the 200m as I probably could have squeezed a few extra tenths out there coming around to the main straight. But I’m pretty happy with it.

“It’s a good spot to be in as the fastest this season, but I’ve still got a lot of work to do, so I’m looking forward to it.”

James Ford was second in 48.95, followed in by Thomas Cowan 49.77 and Stephen Thorpe 50.72, all three personal bests.

Te Puni had earlier finished second to Joseph Millar over 60m in 7.12 to Millar’s 6.97 -3.9. Millar also won the 100m in 11.06 -2.2.

Personal bests in the 1500m to Cameron Maunder 3:55.85 and Angus Monro 3:57.52.

Livvy Wilson won the sprint double 60m 7.63 -3.0 and 100m 12.06 -2.9. Symone Tafunai was second in both 7.96 and 12.60. Kate Borton 400m 57.77, Imogen Barlow 59.27. Brigid Dennehy 1500m 4:32.34, Niamh de Hora 4:34.25 PB, Bella Earl 4:37.36 PB. Georgia Lynch 2000m steeplechase .762 7:42.90 PB.

Scott Thomson TJ 13.95m -1.8, Dominic Overend 12.44m -1.1. James Steyn PV 5.20m, Ettiene Du Preez 4.80m, Charlie Cameron 4.60m PB. Hannah Adye PV 3.80m PB, Jessica Strick 3.25m, Lilli Bing 3.25m, Talaya Vorster 3.25m PB. Savannah Scheen DT 48.36m, Suzannah Kennelly 45.05m, Karmen-Elizabeth Maritz 45.01m. Briana Stephenson 4kg SP 10.53m PB. Percy Maka 1.5kg DT 56.42m PB. Ethan Phillips 2kg DT 38.96m PB. Jirah Esekia 5kg SP 13.13m PB.

Sionann Murphy F37 3kg SP 8.45m, DT 24.51m Para Athlete records, 60m 10.16 -3.0, 100m 17.60 -4.2. Corran Hanning F12 6kg SP 12.99m, 1.75kg DT 39.93m PB Para Athlete record.

HAMILTON

Athletics Waikato Bay of Plenty Meeting, Porritt Stadium – 3 December 2022
Grace Wisnewski 100m H .762 14.64 +1.2 PB, 400m 59.10 PB. Ellen Carter 100m H .838 14.70 +1.2 PB, 100m 12.07 +0.7 PB. Alice Taylor 100m H .838 15.22 +1.2 PB, 600g JT 35.04m PB. Nathan Browne 110m H .838 15.19 -0.2. Wiremu Knowles 110m H .838 15.22 -0.2. Joshua Hawkins 110m H 1.067 14.17 -0.2, 100m 10.61 +0.9. Hayato Yoneto 100m 10.75 +0.9 PB.

Matthew Eady 400m 51.52, Charles Roil 400m 51.78. Sophie Hancock 400m 58.99. Hamish Murray 800m 2:01.56. Boh Ritchie 800m 2:18.51, Aimee Ferguson 2:18.58, Holly Fausett 2:20.35. Melelosaline Lose 3kg SP 12.51m PB, Ruby Jones 11.89m PB. Alessandra Macdonald TJ 11.29m. Bradley Bidois 700g JT 47.04m PB. Jesse Humberstone-Kara HJ 1.70m, Mia De Jager 1.65m. Hayley Koppens 500g JT 30.02m PB.

WELLINGTON

New Zealand Masters Athletics Championships, Newtown Park – 2/4 December 2022
Among the various results were:

Vanessa Story W45-49 100m 14.09 -2.2, 200m 28.39 +3.5, 400m 63.67, 800m 2:32.96.

Sally Gibbs W55-59 800m 2:40.01, 1500m 5:09.37, 3000m 10:52.03, 5000m 18:25.58.

Roger Robinson M80-84 3000m 16:12.68, 5000m 25:26.16.

Arno van der Westhuizen M45-49 7.26kg SP 12.97m, 2kg DT 35.44m, 7.26kg HT 52.27m, 800g JT 40.87m, 15.88kg Weight throw 15.28m, Throws pentathlon 3588.

Chris Waring W74-79 60m 11.06 +0.2, 100m 18.15 +1.5, 200m 38.99 +3.2, 400m 1:43.03.

Gail Kirkman W70-74 400m 1:19.53, 800m 3:09.51, HJ 1.13m, 200m H 41.42 +0.5.

Jim Blair M90-94 LJ 1.50m -1.6, 3kg SP 6.21m, 1kg DT 15.70m, 3kg HT 17.23m, 400g JT 17.58m, 5.45kg Weight throw 8.48m, Throws pentathlon 3172.

Gary Rawson M60-64 60m 8.45 +0.2, 100m 13.33 +3.1, HJ 1.35m, LJ 4.25m -0.2, TJ 9.60m -2.6, 1kg DT 28.90m, 600g JT 26.27m.

Annette Parlane W75-79 2kg SP 7.56m, 750g DT 20.85m, 2kg HT 26.97m, 4kg Weight throw 10.61m, Throws pentathlon 3666. Bev Savage, 7.39m, 18.59m, 27.47, 11.04m, 3608.

Adrian Stockill M55-59 HJ 1.30m, 6kg SP 10.59m, 1.5kg DT 37.09m, 6kg HT 34.02m, 700g JT 30.19m, 11.34kg Weight throw 12.04m, Throws pentathlon 3069, Outdoor pentathlon 1615.

Laurie Malcolmson M70-74 60m 8.77 -0.3, 100m 14.55 -2.1, 200m 29.44 +2.4, 500g JT 34.89m, 7.26kg Weight throw 12.75m.

Full results are available at NZ Masters Athletics – nzmastersathletics.org.nz

NELSON

Athletics Nelson Invitational Meeting, Saxton Field Athletic Track – 3 December 2022
James Hansen 400m 51.16 PB. Angus Wemyss 800m 1:59.56, 1500m 4:04.48. Noah Lausen 800m 2:00.81. Joshua Gill 1500m 4:05.07. Ben Walker HJ 1.98m PB, Misha Worboys 1.91m.

Camryn Smart 200m 25.44 +0.6, Micayla Whiti 25.57, Molly McManus 28.76. Kathy Dunbar 1500m 4:48.03, Amelia Clark 4:52.21. Josephine Reeves HJ 1.72m.

CHRISTCHURCH

Athletics Canterbury Twilight Meeting #5, Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub – 1 December 2022
Max Abbot 1.75kg DT 53.02m PB, 6kg SP 14.59m. Quinn Motley 1.75kg DT 43.47m, 6kg SP 12.95m PB. Jackson Ross 1.5kg DT 44.02m PB. Bridie Restieaux 2000m steeplechase 7:59.20.

Kirsty Mccarthy Dempsey DT 35.81m, 3kg SP 12.80m. Chloe Hughes 1500m 4:46.96, Paris Carroll 4:50.02 PB, Brynne Gordon 4:56.39. John Mottus 400m 51.22, Oliver Dunshea 51.73.

Katherine Camp 3000m 9:33.87 PB, Tillie Hollyer 9:34.85 PB, Lahana Reeves 10:09.99 PB. Cameron Avery 3000m 8:19.23, David Lee 8:19.55 PB, Connor Melton 8:20.18, Russell Green 8:24.38, Cameron Clark 8:36.26, Oska Baynes 8:37.47, Ethan Smolej 8:37.87 PB.

Athletics Canterbury Meeting #6, Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub – 3 December 2022
Rosie Elliott 60m 7.42 +3.0, 100m 11.64 -0.6, 200m 23.51 +2.0. Christina Ryan 200m 25.87 +2.0, 100m H .838 14.82 +3.4, 600g JT 33.07m. Maia Broughton 100m 12.08 +1.0, 200m 24.39 +2.0. Ella Waldron LJ 5.36m +1.8 PB, Hannah Collins LJ 5.22m +1.7 PB, TJ 11.98m +2.6 and 11.75m +0.3 PB. Gracie Pratten 100m H .838 15.23 +3.4. Charlotte Lambie 4kg HT 34.24m. Holly Gray 100m H .762 14.81 +3.4, 300m H .762 46.09, Emily Jackson 46.58 PB. Kirsty McCarthy Dempsey 3kg HT 47.65m, 500g JT 37.43m. Scarlett Kirby 4kg HT 34.24m PB.

Mark Agnew 100m 11.07 +1.9 PB. Henry Sevier 300m H .762 46.88. Asher Pettengell-Brand 200m 22.08 +0.3. Liam O’Donnell 800m 1:56.63, Louie Howell 1:56.89, Dylan Forde 1:57.71, Oliver Dunshea 1:57.82 PB, Daniel Prescott 1:59.05 PB, Matthew Clarke 1:59.98 PB. Ethan Bone 1.98m, Tia Wynyard 1.95m, Ethan Price 1.80m PB. Finlay Neale 110m H .914 15.04 +2.1, LJ 6.31m +1.0. Jared Neighbours 800g JT 53.54m. Beau Brackenridge 300m H .838 39.67. Mark Agnew 100m 11.07 +1.9. Rosa Twyford 800m 2:09.07, Tillie Hollyer 2:10.28 PB, Angie Petty 2:11.32, Kiera Hall 2:11.89.

DUNEDIN

Athletics Otago Meeting, Caledonian Ground – 3 December 2022
Schuyler Orr 60m 7.22 +1.3, 100m 11.32 +0.2. Sebastian Ferro 100m 11.01 PB, Cole Gibbons 11.32, 110m H .914 15.14 +2.4, PV 3.90m PB. Jorja Gibbons 100m 12.44 +0.3, LJ 5.54m +0.9 PB. Zara Geddes 1500m 4:39.92 PB, Kennedy Taylor 4:43.48 PB. Alexander Brown 3000m RW 13:58.02. Toby Martin 110m H .990 16.44 +2.4, PV 3.80m. Jed Jabagat HJ 1.83m, LJ 6.59m +0.1 PB. Keira McNeill HJ 1.60m, LJ 5.02m +0.4. Luke Moffitt PV 3.70m PB, LJ 6.43m +0.4. Eliza Meekings PV 3.40m. Ryan Young LJ 6.80m +1.9 PB.

Embla Wihk DT 35.63m, 4kg HT 41.68m. Alex Duff DT 35.53m, 3kg HT 34.79m. Carlie Scherp DT 34.07m, 3kg SP 11.04m. Dyani Shepherd-Oates HT 50.56m. Renee Willis 3kg HT 41.99m, 3kg SP 12.54m. Jamin Millar 1.5kg DT 37.23m.

International Results

USA

Boston University/Sharon Colyear-Danville Indoor Season Opener, Track and Tennis Centre, Boston MA, 3 December: Maia Ramsden 3000m 8:54.39 (4) a two-minute PB, Harvard record by 15 seconds and 11th New Zealand All time.

Fitness Bank Cross Country Championships, Austin TX, 1 December: 8km George Beamish 23:43 (5).

CANADA

National Cross Country Championships, Ottawa, 26 November: 10km Evan Elder 35:36 (86).

Road and Trail Races Around the Country

AUCKLAND
Fox Trot 5km, Viaduct Harbour, 29 November: Harvey Walsh 16:45, David Bagot 16:55, Harry Harris 17:04. Christine Adamson 21:30, Bronwen Peterken 21:56.                                                                                                                                             

Rat Race 5km, Takapuna, 30 November: Andrew Harvey 19:18, Tom Hanrahan 19:35, Robert Good 20:10.

Omaha Half Marathon, 4 December: David Atkinson 1:16:52, Jake Wilkinson 1:17:29, Steve Furminger 1:19:37. Charlotte Black 1:32:58, Kate Pineda 1:33:21, Shannon-Leigh Litt 1:35:09. 10km; George Mawson 36:49, Ronnie Murray 37:53, Isaac Happy 38:22. Lucy Backus 41:35, Anna Hickey 44:19, Melissa Chan Chui 44:36.

NELSON
Honest Lawyer 5km, Monaco, 28 November: Nick Lane 19:36, Justin Sim 19:48, Brady Machen 20:55. Chloe Quilliam 23:20.

HAMMER SPRINGS
Alpine Marathon, 3 December: Sanjeev Deo 3:06:22, Steve Harris 3:34:58, Craig Dickinson 3:40:05. Konoka Azumi 3:14:27, Steph Nevins 3:45:20, Olivia Barnes 3:50:14. Half Marathon; Blake Weston 1:20:05, Jimmy Feathery 1:20:13, George Hedley 1:23:01. Julie Gillespie 1:45:51, Kristen Diederich 1:47:01, Sofia Sosa 1:47:03. 10km; Jonathon Roughan 41:17. Gabby Dickinson 51:28, Jackie Wang 51:30.

TE ANAU
Kepler Challenge, Luxmore Grunt, 3 December: 60km; Daniel Jones 4:43:14, Sam McCutcheon 5:10:48, David Haunschmidt 5:13:43. Katie Morgan 5:59:25, Sophie Grant 6:17:50, Michelle Ashley 6:32:13. 27km; Daniel Balchin 1:50:36, Daniele Danesin 2:04:45, Etienne Blumstein-Jones 2:05:39. Jennifer Elvin 2:16:10, Sarah Douglas 2:17:35, Crystal Brindle 2:23:01.

DUNEDIN
41st Leith Harbour Free 5 and 10, 24 November: 10km; Liam Turk 39:10, Bryan Staunton 41:54, Corey Lewis 42:41, Mandy Lowther 43:51. 5km; Dan Hayman 17:52, Neale McLanachan 20:28, Florence Reynolds 20:55.

Obituary

Olympic gold medallist in Rome 1960, Sir Murray Halberg ONZ, KNZM, MBE, of Auckland died at 7pm on Wednesday 30 November 2022 aged 89.

As Sir Murray was being driven to the Olympic Stadium in Rome in September 1960 with Peter Snell and their coach Arthur Lydiard, Lydiard said to Murray Halberg, Peter Snell is going to win a gold medal before you today. And that victory exemplified the true character and spirit of Murray Halberg who triumphed over adversity.

He was born in Eketahuna but grew up in Auckland and attended Avondale College, He was a budding cricketer and rugby player. But at the age of 17 he was badly injured in the shoulder during a game of rugby. After months of rehab he was left with a withered left arm and he had to teach himself to do everything from writing to eating with his right hand. He responded to this setback by becoming an extremely determined runner. The 5000m gold medal in Rome, as Olympian number 94, represented hours of training including the Sunday morning 22 mile run around the Waitakere Ranges, running from his coach Arthur Lydiard’s home in Wainwright Avenue in Mt Roskill and out through New Lynn, Glen Eden and Oratia and back through Titirangi.

His talent was nurtured by Lydiard, with his endurance training methods.

“Arthur meant everything to me,” said Halberg. “If I’d never met Arthur I would never have become a top runner. There was some talent there, and I may have got as far as winning a New Zealand title. But that would have been it. Arthur’s advice, encouragement and expertise enabled me to become an Olympic champion.”

He won numerous New Zealand junior titles and in 1953 at the age of 20 won the New Zealand senior cross country title. And on the track won five senior one mile titles, and five three mile titles. He set New Zealand records over 1, 2, 3 and 6 miles as well as over 5000 and 10,000m. In 1961 he set world records over 2 and 3 miles.

He first represented New Zealand at the 1954 Vancouver British Empire and Commonwealth Games, where he finished fifth in the mile.

He went on to the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. At Melbourne he reached the final of the 1500m but then ran a poor tactical race slipping back through the field to finish eleventh. Halberg was devastated and he vowed to himself that he would return to the Olympic stage and fulfil what he believed was his destiny to be an Olympic champion.
He first got a taste of gold winning the gold medal over 3 miles at the 1958 Cardiff British Empire and Commonwealth Games before his historic win in Rome where he put 20 metres on the field with his sudden burst holding onto the lead all the way to the tape.

Coach Arthur Lydiard said it was the greatest moment of his coaching career saying at the time “Snell was great so were the others but to take Halberg from his deathbed and see him win an Olympic gold medal now that was something special.”

He went on to win the gold medal over 3 miles at the 1962 Perth British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

He competed at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games in the 5000m and 10,000m where he finished seventh in the 10,000m.

Halberg was the first New Zealander to run a mile under four minutes which he did in Dublin in 1958. And in 1958 he was voted New Zealand Sportsman of the year.

It was while he was in Perth at the Empire Games he was asked by the president of the Ontario Sportswriters and Sports casters Association if he would be a guest speaker at an annual dinner in Canada which was a fund raiser for crippled children. Halberg attended and was impressed with the concept of using sports people as magnets for the public to pay to attend a dinner with the profits going to help children with disabilities. On his return to New Zealand, he relaunched the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year dinner and built it up so that it became the focal point of the annual fund-raising campaign for the Halberg Trust which supports children with disabilities. The Murray Halberg Trust for crippled Children held their first Sportsman of the Year dinner on 4 November 1963 at the Manhattan in Mt Roskill.

It is through his selfless dedication to the welfare of disabled children in New Zealand which has won him the most acclaim.

He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1961 for services to athletics. He was the inaugural winner of the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s Lonsdale Cup in 1961. He was knighted in the 1988 New Year Honours for services to sport and crippled children. He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame based in Dunedin in 1990.

In the 2008 Queen’s Birthday honours he was appointed to New Zealand’s highest honour The Order of New Zealand. And a month later was awarded the Blake Medal for his more than 50 years’ service to athletics, and to children with disabilities.
Following his retirement from running he did some coaching and he travelled with New Zealand’s 2002 Commonwealth Games and 2004 Olympic Games teams and proved an inspiring mentor for the athletes.

Described as having acid rather than blood in his veins, and it is his establishment of the Halberg Awards in raising so much money for disabled athletes to express their sporting talents that provides the true legacy of a remarkable New Zealander in much the same way as did the late Sir Edmund Hillary’s work with the Sherpas following his conquest of Everest.

In his book ‘A Clean Pair of Heels’ he concludes with a little story that sums up his career.

‘Bill Baillie, Bill Rodger and I were running through the rain during training in Brisbane. At a bus shelter we stopped and facetiously asked an old woman if we were on the right road to Sydney. She glowered at us and replied, “You’re on the right road to the looney bin.” We left her there in the rain laughing her head off.

She thought we were mad. We knew perfectly well we weren’t. We went on running and I would do it all again.”

The Ryman Retirement Village in Lynfield is named after him.