Weekly Roundup – 28 April

NATIONAL RESULTS

WANAKA
New Zealand Mountain Running Championships, 11km Cardrona Climb +over 1000m – 26 April 2025

National 10,000m track champion Toby Gualter added the mountain running title with an impressive uphill run at the Cardrona Alpine Resort. The 24 year old completed the climb in 53:20, to finish over a minute ahead of national steeplechase champion Michael Sutton. Jono Jackson, 2021 mountain running champion was third in 55:01.

Gualter said it was the toughest race he has done.

“I knew that I was in for a good race as Michael has raced extensively in European mountain races, and I knew it was going to get harder as the race went on, so I sat back in the early stages and then pulled away about 2.5km into the race. 

“It was a grind, and out of all the races that I’ve done, in the States and here, it was the hardest race mentally and physically,” said Gualter.

“I had a good half marathon in Christchurch two weeks ago (PB 1:03:30) and I knew I was in the best shape of my life. I’ve done hill tempo sessions regularly in training in Wellington which helped,’ he added.

He described it as a beautiful day in Cardrona and a well-organised event, which capped it off for his second national title. Gualter was also full of praise for his coach Alistair Leslie who has helped him considerably with his training.

“I now have my eyes set on next weekend’s 5km in Rotorua. I’m then going to the World University Games in July  where I’m in the 10k and 5k there.”

Long term Toby is looking at the world cross country championships early next year in Tallahassee, Florida. “And the biggest one I’m shooting for is the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.”

Maia Flint (21), second in 2023, claimed the women’s gold medal covering the gruelling climb in 1h 6m 32s. Jessie Speedy was nearly two minutes back in second with former national junior steeplechase champion Liliana Braun third in 1h 10m 7s. Sarah Douglas, champion in 2022 and 2023 was fourth.

Max Dohery was the first under 20 in the 5km climb beating national under 18 3000m champion James Weber. Bronwen Rees-Jones won the under 20 women 5km.

Results:

Men: Toby Gualter (Wellington Olympic) 53:20, Michael Sutton (Tauranga) 54:42, Jono Jackson (Auckland) 55:01, Benjamin Rickerby (Auckland) 60:09, Logan Griffin (Whippets) 60:18, Dougal Shepherd (Nelson) 63:10.

Women: Maia Flint (Tauranga) 66:32, Jessie Speedy (NHB) 68:19, Liliana Braun (Whippets) 70:07, Sarah Douglas (Chch Avon) 77:06, Maya Edmondson (Timaru) 90:14.

Men under 20 5km: Max Doherty (Wellington Olympic) 24:09, James Weber (Queenstown) 25:11, Lucas Huia (Fiordland) 26:41.

Women under 20 5km: Bronwen Rees-Jones (Cambridge) 31:39, Jessica McNeilly (Nelson) 37:43.

Master men 5km: Liam McKenzie (Australia) M35 25:21, Steve Rees-Jones (Cambridge) M50 25:40, Dwight Grieve (Fiordland) M45 27:05.

Master women 5km: Mel Aitken (Wellington Scottish) W45 30:50, Shireen Crumpton (Hill City University) W50 33:05, Karen Murphy (Warkworth) W55 36:31.

REGIONAL RESULTS

AUCKLAND

Halberg Games, Kings College, Otahuhu, 25 April:
New Zealand Para Athlete record Charli Gardiner-Hall F37 3kg SP 8.73m.

CHRISTCHURCH

Daniel Reese Memorial, 75th Annual Hagley Relays, South Hagley Park – 26 April 2025

10km relay (3km, 2km, 1km, 4km)
Senior men University of Canterbury (Taonga Mbambo 9:17, Blair McWhirter 6:10, Charlie Hudson 3:01, Bede Colbourne 12:37) 31:05, Christchurch Avon 31:17, Christchurch Avon 31:17, Run Timaru 31:59.

Senior women Christchurch Avon (Kate Currie 10:15, Mairi Law 7:18, Lucy Jurke 3:43, Lahana Reeves 14:39) 35:55, University 36:52, Christchurch Avon 2 40:08.

Master women Sumner 50:31. Under 20 women Port Hills 37:41. Under 18 women Port Hills 40:50. Master men Don Greig Racing Stables 37:30. Under 20 men University 34:58. Under 18 men Christchurch Avon 33:15.

Senior mixed Whippets 33:48. Masters mixed DGRS 44:43. Under 20 mixed Papanui Toc H 38:00.

INTERNATIONAL RESULTS

USA

115th Drake Relays, Des Moines IA, 23/26 April:
Kayla Goodwin heptathlon DNF (100m H 14.65 +2.0, HJ 1.60m, SP 12.12m, 200m 26.26 +2.3, LM, JT 38.54m, 800m DNS). Harrison McGregor 2kg DT 49.10m PB (16). Centaine Noom-Duckworth HT 56.56m (9).

129th Penn Relays, Franklin Field, Philadelphia PA, 24/26 April:
Emma Ferguson 1500m 4:17.36 PB (2H3). George Beamish mile 3:56.85 (1). Callum Murray 1500m 3:48.50 (6H3). Kimberley May a member of the winning Providence team in the 4 x 1500m in 16:59.65.

Arkansas State Alumni Classic, Jonesboro AR, 25 April:
Angus Monro 800m 1:53.42 (4).

Payton Jordan Invitational, Cobb Track and Angell Field, Stanford CA, 25 April:
Poppy Martin 1500m 4:32.66 PB (4RC). Niamh Motley 3000m steeplechase 10:41.87 PB (5).

Aggie Invitational, Ralph Maughan Track Stadium, Logan UT, 26 April:
Nadia Chiara 100m H 14.33 +2.0 (1), 400m H 1:03.42 (1RB).

Charlotte Invitational, Irwin Belk T & F Centre, Charlotte NC, 25 April:
Liam O’Donnell 800m 1:53.16 (6RB).

UCF Knights Invite, UCF Complex, Orlando FL, 25 April:
Isabella Richardson 3000m 10:08.43 (3).

LSU Alumni Gold, Bernie Moore Track, Baton Rouge LA, 26 April:
Joseph Morgan 1500m 3:59.55 (9). Annalies Kalma 400m 52.71 PB (4).

AUSTRALIA
Unisport National Championships, Gold Coast Performance Centre, 22 April:
Ryan Shotter 100m 11.07 +1.7 (3H2). Caitlin Shepperson HT 51.10m PB (4). Milana Henderson PV 3.00m (6).

Australian Road Mile Championship, Ballarat, 26 April:
Caitlin McQuilkin-Bell 4:48.60 PB (6).

CHINA

Diamond League, Egret Stadium, Xiamen, 26 April:
Ethan Olivier TJ 16.52m +0.6 (5), (15.65, 16.52, x, x, 15.97). Maddison-Lee Wesche SP 19.51m (4), (18.95, 18.51, 19.51, 18.64, 19.47). Tori Moorby JT 62.50m (2) Career third best, (60.72, 59.38, x, 62.50, x, 59.46).

GREAT BRITAIN

TCS London Marathon, St James’s Park, 27 April:
Sam Macaulay 2:27:20 (98), Nicholas Browne 2:31:33 (222), Andrew Kelly 2:33:04 (284). Katherine Camp 2:43:52 PB by 11 minutes (26), Abigail Geddes 2:52:43 (93), Sarah Riceman 2:56:31 PB (141). Sabastian Sawe (Kenya) won in 2:02:27 and Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia won the women in 2:15:50, a women-only world record by 26 seconds.

ROAD AND TRAIL RACES AROUND THE COUNTRY 

AUCKLAND 

Good George 5km, North Wharf, Wynyard Quarter, 22 April:
Kirk Madgwick 17:10, Mark Boyce 17:13, Noah Costar 17:17. Sophie Ballie 19:38, Charlotte Baken 21:33, Mira Bi 21:40.

Rat Race 5km, Takapuna, 23 April:
Matt Smith 17:31, Sam Mayhew 18:16, Milad Rafie 19:08.

MT MAUNGANUI
78th Annual Mauao King and Queen of the Mountain 4km, 27 April:
Michael Sutton 19:29, Joshua Madsen 19:50, Grant Dorey 22:18. Mia Morrison 24:56, Anna Dean 25:17, Helen Gavin 25:27.

NORTH CANTERBURY
Solar Power NZ Skedaddle Trail Run, Culverden, 26 April:
42km Aditya Kesarcodi-Watson 3:56:36, Benje Patterson 4:02:14, Steven Melton 4:02:22. Nancy Jiang 4:36:55, Emma Timmis 4:55:30, Amy Montagu 5:14:34. 30km Daniele Danesin 2:45:38 and Kiri Atkin 3:19:42. 15km Arthur Ehlinger 1:13:09 and Anna May 1:27:24. 10km Paul Tobin 42:41 and Sarah McSweeney 57:28.

DUNEDIN
70th Leith Harbour Free, 27 April:
10km Jason Van Kempen 34:09, Graham Fisher 34:26, Liam Turk 37:28. Mel Aitken 39:38, Stephanie Wilson 39:47, Alice Cuthbert 40:42. 5km Grayson Westgate 15:22, Stephen Johnson 15:51, Simon Cromarty 15:53. Becky De La Harpe 17:55, Claudia Sole 20:41, Alice Barach 21:23.