News & Updates

AUCKLAND

Whippets Night Cross Country 5km, McFetridge Park, Hillcrest North Shore, 3 June 2023:

The second Whippets Night Cross Country event was a spectacle once again. In its second edition, over 150 runners battled testing muddy conditions on the undulating 5km course. Cameron Avery (Christchurch Avon) triumphed in the men’s race, working through the field in the early stages before stretching his lead from a fast-finishing David Lee. “The course suited my toolset variable terrain that rewarded technical skill, I knew once I had a decent gap it would be tough to close, purely because of the course becoming more speed limited as the ground tore up.”

Brigid Dennehy, fresh from her New Zealand road mile title, ran with style and confidence to take the women’s title. Dennehy and Whippets, Tillie Hollyer, exchanged the lead in the early stages of the race before the strength of Dennehy proved decisive, with the North Harbour Bays athlete running to a comprehensive victory of over 45 seconds. “I am really happy with my performance today, the conditions were tough and I focused on the job in hand. Training has been going well and it’s always nice to race in such cool events like the Night Cross.”

Cameron Avery 16:34, David Lee 16:43, Ronan Lee 16:45, Connor Melton 16:52, William Little 17:01, Russell Green 17:06.

Brigid Dennehy 20:29, Tillie Hollyer 21:16, Stella Hammond 21:35, Holly Manning 21:36, Amelia Green 21:41, Poppy Martin 21:41.

Pakuranga Invitational 8km Cross Country, Lloyd Elsmore Park – 3 June:
Dion Wallwork won the 8km in 31:13, 34 seconds ahead of national U16 1500m and 3000m champion Ben Oxford. Nick Moore was third in 32:05. Georgina Collinge-Coker was first woman in 41:32.

Andrii Borysenko and Nick Pannett raced the 4km in 17:12. Moojin Lee was third in 17:21.

The Hellyer twins Lisa and Sarah went one two in the women’s 4km, Lisa winning by four seconds in 19:28. Fleur Findlay was third in 24:13.

Winter Throws Trials #2, AUT Millennium, North Shore – 3 June 2023
Karmen-Elizabeth Maritz DT 38.74m. Jasmine He Ling 3kg HT 46.96m, 4kg HT 42.44m PB. Oliver Chung 5kg HT 36.44m PB.

INTERNATIONAL RESULTS

USA

Hoka Festival of Miles, St Louis MO, 1 June: Liam Back 3:59.48 (4).

Portland Track Festival, Gresham OR, 4 June: Rebekah Greene 1500m 4:13.93 PB (9). Jeff Lautenslager 5000m 14:16.15 (9). Jared Lautenslager 1500m 3:55.01 PB (6).

FRANCE
Elite de Forbach, Forbach, 28 May: Brad Mathas 800m 1:46.95 (7).

GERMANY
B & S Kurpfalz Gala, Weinheim, 27 May: Jennie Hauke 800m 2:06.17 (3).

Heidelberger, Heidelberg, 28 May: Tatiana Kaumoana DT 54.57m (1), Savannah Scheen DT 48.26m (2).

Int.Sparkassen Hammerwurf Meeting, Fränkisch-Crumbach, 28 May: Anthony Nobilo HT 67.72m (6).

Sparkassen Gala, Regensburg, 3 June: Jennie Hauke 800m 2:06.74 (4).

BELGIUM

Flanders Cup, Antwerp, 3 June: Tatiana Kaumoana DT 54.62m (2). Savannah Scheen DT 48.38m (4).

CANADA

Bob Vigars Classic, Alumni Stadium, London, 28 May: Alison Andrews-Paul 800m 2:05.63 (2).

ENGLAND
Loughborough University Open #2 Meeting, Leicestershire, 31 May: Anna Grimaldi T47 LJ 5.76m +1.4 (1).

ITALY
Diamond League, Golden Gala, Pietro Mennea, Florence, 2 June: Tom Walsh SP 21.69m (2) (21.30, 21.69, 21.13, 21.69, 21.57, 21.52). Hamish Kerr HJ 2.24m (4) (2.15 xo, 2.20 o, 2.24 o, 2.27 xxx). Faith Kipyegon of Kenya set a world 1500m record of 3:49.11, running the last lap in 58.81, to break Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba’s 2015 record of 3:50.07. Jessica Hull bettered her own Australian national and Oceania records clocking 3:57.29 in third.

Meeting Di Lucca, Lucca, 4 June: Brad Mathas 800m 1:48.11 (5).

POLAND

World Athletics Continental Tour Silver, 69th Orlen Janusz Kusociński Memorial, Chorzów, 4 June: Tom Walsh SP 21.48m (1) (21.48, x, x, 21.23, x, x). 

AUSTRALIA
Runaway Noosa Marathon, Queensland, 27 May: David Ridley 2:25:56 (1).

ROAD, CROSS COUNTRY AND TRAIL RACES AROUND THE COUNTRY                                                                                                                         

AUCKLAND 

Fox Trot 5km, Viaduct Harbour, 30 May: Harry Harris 17:03, Olly Norman 17:10, Keith Burrows 17:22. Emerald James 20:21, Bronwen Peterken 22:10, Isla Norman 23:21.

Rat Race 5km, Takapuna, 24 May: Andy Kilding 17:21, Damon Nicholas 18:16, Joel Martin 18:59. Ella Kilding 23:39, Lesley Ryan 24:44, Grace Swanson 26:14. 31 May: Andy Kilding 17:35, Damon Nicholas 18:10, Joel Martin 19:37. Becky Bradley 20:39, Hayley Wilson 21:39, Ella Kilding 22:04.

MOTUEKA
Kaiteriteri Gold Trail Runs, 4 June: 16km; Curtis Moore 1:12:38, Justin Sim 1:13:19, Brian Kemp 1:13:48. Paula Canning 1:18:28, Erica Chapman-Oliver 1:22:06, Kayla Gill 1:39:12. 8km; Oliver Costley 39:08, Catherine Delaporte 40:42.

CHRISTCHURCH
Selwyn Marathon, Lincoln, 4 June: Steven Gibson 2:53:17, Jeremy Pelvin 2:54:52, Amanda Waldron 2:55:40. Half marathon: Thomas Richards 1:12:07, Tom Galloway 1:13:57, Leon Miyahara 1:17:16. Ellen Cavanagh 1:36:22. 10km: George Guerin 33:18, Ben Airey 34:01, Katherine Camp 35:51.

KING’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS

Loloma Foster MNZM of Hamilton was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to race walking.

She has contributed to Race Walking and Badminton for 49 years, as a competitor and an administrator at national and international levels.

She joined the New Zealand Racewalkers Association, becoming a member of the committee and undertaking duties as the Waikato liaison. She became chair of the Athletics Waikato Management committee, responsible for the arranging of all non-stadia events during winter seasons. She has represented New Zealand at the World Masters Championships in Japan and Finland, and the Oceania Championships in Rarotonga, Perth, Brisbane, Fiji and Tahiti. She was the winner of the 10 kilometre walk for ten years from 1989, through the various age groups. She became involved with Waikato Badminton Association in 1998 as the Office Manager then Financial Controller, responsible for the funds of the association, and helping conduct local and international tournaments. Mrs Foster was awarded the Waikato Sport and Active Recreation Award for services to badminton in 2020.

Derek Shaw MNZM of Nelson was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the environment, local government and athletics.

He has advocated for environmental, community and sporting causes in the Nelson region since the 1970s.

He has been involved in the Nelson Environment Centre (Te Putahi Taiao) since 1976. He served as Chair of the organisation between 1979 and 2016, editing a quarterly journal, presenting numerous submissions on a wide range of environmental issues, facilitating meetings, driving campaigns, coordinating volunteers and managing its shop and library. He was a founding Trustee of The Brook Waimarama Wildlife Sanctuary on the outskirts of Nelson, serving as a Trustee and regularly as acting Chair between 2004 and 2019, and was made a Life Supporter in 2020. Between 1984 and 2013 he served as a Nelson City Councillor, helping to develop the city’s biodiversity strategy and the Nelson Biodiversity Forum. He contributed his expertise at a national level between 2001 and 2007 as a member of the Environment Legal Assistance Advisory Panel.

For almost 20 years he has helped organise Nelson’s amateur athletics through Masters Games, including taking a lead role in the organisation of the New Zealand Masters Track and Field Championships in 2017. In 2015 he took over as Chair of the Top of the South Athletics Charitable Trust, which is responsible for the athletics track, associated facilities and equipment at Saxton Oval.

Murray McKinnon

Athletics New Zealand Correspondent

0274 806086

murray@mckinnon.co.nz