Athletics New Zealand – News – Athletics NZ Weekly Roundup 21 July 2014

Valerie Adams notched up her 53rd straight win in the shot put winning the Diamond League meeting in Monaco with 20.38m.
Christina Schwanitz of Germany was second with 19.54m and Michelle Carter of USA third with 19.05m.

Adams now has an unassailable lead with a maximum of 20 points in the Diamond League ahead of Schwanitz and Carter who are both on four points.
She is the favourite to add a third straight Commonwealth title in Glasgow.
"The big focus for me this year is the Commonwealth Games and obviously I now switch all my attentions there," Adams told AAP.
"My goal there is to get another championship medal and obviously win another gold for New Zealand."
Adams leads the 2104 world rankings with 20.46m, Cleopatra Borel from Trinidad and Tobago, who was fourth at Monaco, is the next best performed Commonwealth athlete this year with a best of 19.10m.

Nick Willis in finishing seventh in the 1500m set a New Zealand national record of 3:29.91 breaking his own record of 3:30.35 set in Monaco in 2012.
The time continues an amazing season for the 31 year old Olympic silver medal, adding a sub 3:30 1500m to a sub 3:50 mile and a national record over 3000.
2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games 1500m gold medallist Silas Kipligat beat Kenyan compatriots Asbel Kiprop (2008 Beijing Olympic champion and 2011 and 2013 world champion) and Ronald Kemoi in 3:27.64, to Kiprop’s 3:28.45 and Kemoi’s 3:28.81.

SWITZERLAND
Spitzen Leichtathletik, Lucerne – 15 July 2014
Valerie Adams maintained her dominance on the women's shot put with her 52nd successive international victory at the Spitzen meeting.
Adams threw 20.42m – the same mark with which she won the Diamond League meet in Lausanne this month – and which was comfortably good enough for the win.
Second place went to Russian Yevgeniya Kolodko, who managed 19.08m, while Trinidad and Tobago's Cleopatra Borel was third with 18.72m.
Adams is now unbeaten since August, 2010.
"It was a really good competition," Adams said. "The series was very consistent. After a rough start due to the injury, my season is going on well.”

WALES
Welsh International, Cardiff – 15 July 2014
Angie Smit 800m 2:02.78 (1)
Julia Ratcliffe HT 67.45m (1)
Jacko Gill SP 18.99m (1)
Women's 4×400 (Portia Bing, Brooke Cull, Zoe Ballantyne, Louise Jones) 3:37.53 (1) stadium record
Julian Matthews 800m 1:50.46 (3)
Lucy Van Dalen 800m 2:09.35 (4)
Scott McLaren 100B 11.77 -1.9 (7), PV 4.55m (6), DT 42.84m (7).

CZECH REPUBLIC
Grand Prix Usti nad Labem – 16 July 2014
Shot putter Tom Walsh has finished fourth at a meeting in the Czech Republic at his last competition before the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Walsh had a best throw of 20.71 to finish behind Jan Marcel (CZE) with 20.93, Joe Kovacs (USA) 20.89 and Pavel Lyzhyn (BLR) 20.75.
Walsh commented on facebook "Had an alright day. Just missing it a wee bit but it was an awesome competition. Great crowd. Now back to base in Cardiff to get ready for Commonwealth Games!”

USA
Washington Games, Shoreline, Washington – 16 July 2014
Eliza McCartney won the pole vault with a clearance of 4.25m.

UNITED KINGDOM
BMC Meeting, Watford Hertfordshire – 16 July 2014
Kara Macdermid set a New Zealand under 17 1500m record of 4:17.72 in finishing second. This breaks Rebekah Greene’s time of 4:18.90 set in Moncton Canada in 2010. Macdermid, 16, was just outside Anne Lardner’s 1988 under 18 record of 4:17.19.

BMC Oxford Grand Prix – 19 July
14 year old Zia Macdermid was second in the under 17 Frank Horwill Mile in a PB 4:57.47 and sixth overall in the women’s mile race.

Jumps Throws Festival, Alexander Stadium Birmingham – 19/20 July 2014
Sarah Cowley was second in the high jump with 1.77m. Siositina Hakeai was third in the discus with a throw of 54.05m.

LEAP, Loughborough – 19 July 2014
Louise Jones 100m 12.44 (+0.8) 5r3, 200m 24.59 (0.0) 4r1. Fiona Morrison 100m 12.57 (-1.6) 3r4, 100m hurdles 13.48 (+1.0) 2r1, 13.70 (-1.5) 2rA. Brooke Cull 200m 25.28 (0.0) 5r1, 400m 56.48 5r3. Monique Dell 200m 25.41 (0.0) 6r1. Portia Bing 400m 53.99 1r4, Zoe Ballantyne 400m 54.91 2r3, Kristie Baillie 400m 55.26 2r4, Katherine Camp 400m 55.33 3r3. Scott McLaren 110m hurdles 16.27 (+3.4) 7, long jump 6.19m (+0.1) 4. Stuart Farquhar javelin throw 78.18m 1.

BELGIUM
International Meeting, Naimette-Xhovemont – 16 July 2014
Katie Wright won the 1500m in 4:14.10.

KBC Night of Athletics, Heusden-Zolder – 19 July 2014
Katie Wright ran a PB 1500m of 4:12.62 3r3, to now rank 12th on the New Zealand women’s all-time list. Hamish Carson clocked 3:39.27 4rB in the 1500m. Joshua Tattley 800m 1:52.74 1r2.

WELLINGTON
Wellington Cross Country Championships, Waikanae – 19 July 2014
Cameron Goldsmid won the senior 12,000m in 41:08. Goldsmid has now won every Wellington interclub event this season. Ryan McAlister was second in 41:17 and Dougal Thorburn third in 41:50. Tina Harris won the senior 8000m in 31:25 from Nicole Mitchell 32:31 and Gabrielle O’Rourke 32:41. The junior women 6000m went to Stevie Paine in 25:38 while Phoebe van Boheemen headed in Kelsey Forman in 15:47 in the youth 4000m, Forman recording 16:02. Van Boheemen only joined Olympic a year ago and has had a fantastic season battling it out with Forman in most races. Forman is off to Australia at the end of August with the New Zealand secondary schools cross country team. Jackie Mexted was the best of the master women in 24:30 for the 6000m, with O’Rourke following up her third in the senior women in second. Nathan Tse won the junior 8000m in 27:53, beating Marcus Karamanolis by 25 seconds. Stefan Przychodzko won the youth 6000m in 20:47 from Tom Caughley 21:16. Grant McLean, who turned 40 in 2008, was the quickest around the masters 8000m in 28:49, to win his sixth M40 title in seven years (he was beaten by Todd Stevens last year). McLean has now won more masters titles than any other male in the history of M40 championships in the Wellington region.

ROTORUA
Waikato Bay of Plenty Cross Country Championships, Bishop’s Farm – 19 July 2014
Sally Gibbs continued her winning way this cross country season taking out the Waikato Bay of Plenty senior women’s title in 31:16 for the 8000m. Kerry White was second in 32:05.
Tim Stewart, the 2012 junior champion, won the senior men’s 12,000m title in 42:26, nearly two minutes ahead of Jai Davies-Campbell. Jacob Priddey retained his junior men’s 8000m title in 28:17. Anneke Grogan won the junior women’s 6000m in 24:04. Kent Hodgson was the best of the master men in 29:36 for the 8000m and Sue Crowley was the fastest with 24:16 in the master women 6000m.
Michael Vos won the youth men 6000m in 20:54 from Harry Ewing 21:11 and Paige Satchell led in the youth women in 15:43 for the 4000m from Emerson Deverell 15:54.

CHRISTCHURCH
Canterbury Cross Country Championships, Halswell Quarry – 19 July 2014
Callan Moody won the senior men 12,000m in 39:14, over a minute clear of Daniel Balchin (40:17) with Brett Smith third in 42:50. Rachel Kingsford won the senior women’s 8000m in 29:31 from Flora Brocherie 32:41. The junior men’s 8000m went to Ieuan Van der Peet in 27:35, 10 seconds ahead of Matthew Dryden. Kerry Faass won the master men 8000m in 28:30. Cameron Avery (19:28) triumphed over Sean Eustace (19:51) and Matthew Prest (20:27) in the youth 6000m. Ari Graham won the youth women 4000m in 15:10 beating Harriet Bush who ran 15:29. Gabrielle Gray won the junior women 6000m in 23:00 and Karen Muller was the fastest in the master women 6000m in 24:44.

INVERCARGILL
Southland Cross Country Championships, Waimumu – 19 July 2014
The withdrawal of Jordan Rackham through injury meant Jack Beaumont was under no pressure to be first home in the Southland 12km cross country championship on a hilly Waimumu course. Although crossing the line four minutes ahead of the next finisher he was ineligible for the senior title having already won his grade 3 lap, 9km race but carried on for extra 3km lap for the fun of it. This meant the Southland senior title went to Corey Mennell (Riverton) who also ran out of grade, preferring the 12km senior distance to his masters 9km race which was won by Ricky Gutsell.

Hannah Miller (Gore) just held out Ffion Muhl (St Pauls) to win the U18 women’s title over 6km, with Debbie Telfer next woman in to take the masters trophy and MW50 gold medal. Alan Wilson Woodford (Winton) turned the tables on road champion Liam Cullen (St Pauls) to take the U18 men’s race by nine seconds with a fast improving Walter Cross (Gore) third. The U15 boys 3km had Buddy Small winning from twin brother Albie while Finn Rogers was a close third. The U15 girls was won by Kate Johnstone from Gore club mate Briana Miller with Helena Rikiti (St Pauls) third.

AUSTRALIA
Yumigo 12 Hour Race, Adelaide University Sports Field – 12 July 2014
New Zealand runners were winners on the day, Wayne Botha with a distance of 123.578km and Val Muskett third overall and first woman with 109.378km, setting a new world age group (women 60) by 13km, to be ratified.

Newcastle NIB Games at Glendale – 13 July 2014
Warren Button won the hammer throw with 50.33m.

ROAD RACES AROUND THE COUNTRY
Auckland
Rat Race 5km, Takapuna, 16 July: Stuart Grange 16:03, Robert Good 19:10.

Wellington
Lower Hutt 5km Parkrun, 19 July: Catal Reilly 17:48, Geoff Ferry 17:53.

Murray McKinnon
Athletics Correspondent
Athletics New Zealand
0274 806086
murray@mckinnon.co.nz