Athletics New Zealand – News – Weekly Round-up 16 December 2013

 Zatopek Meeting, Lakeside Stadium, Melbourne – 12 December 2013
Shot Putter Tom Walsh has done it again.
The Timaru builder took another huge stride on the international track & field stage today, winning the shot put at the prestigious Zatopek Classic in Melbourne with another NZ record throw of 20.61m.

The big throw came in the 2nd round of the competition at the famous Melbourne meeting in Melbourne last night. It is also further than the Commonwealth Games A standard of 20.60 and well over the qualifying distance of 20.30 for the World Indoor championships in Poland in March.
Walsh, who broke Jacko Gill's previous national record of 20.38 with a throw of 20.45m at a low key meet in nearby Geelong on Saturday, was ecstatic to have taken the record to another level on a bigger stage. "The Zatopek Classic is a big deal, so to have stepped up and delivered in front of a good crowd is a real buzz" Walsh said after the meet this evening. Damien Birkinhead of Australia was second, with Robert Melin of Sweden in third.

This throw, particularly in such a high profile competition, has propelled Walsh to a ranking of 22nd in the world and fifth in the Commonwealth for 2013, and his throw in Melbourne would have placed him 10th at the London Olympics and 7th in the 2013 World Championships in Moscow.

In other events at the Zatopek meeting Aaron Pulford ran 29:07.33 for ninth place in the feature 10,000 Australian championships race, improving his personal best by seven seconds, set when he finished 5th at the world junior championships in 2010. Ben Ashkettle was 13th in 29:53.99.
Young distance runners Matthew Baxter (3rd  8:14.73),  Ben Moynihan (4th  8:14.91) and Jacob Priddey (7th  8:24.37) all set personal best times in the Under 20 3000m.
Kara Macdermid finished fourth in the women's 1500m recording 4:27.09 and Sarah McSweeney 10th in 4:47.23. Mariah Ririnui was fourth in the women's 100 yards in 11.23.

AUCKLAND
Sir John Walker Night of Miles, Mt Smart Stadium – 14 December 2013
National youth cross country champion George Beamish trounced a strong field to win the annual John Walker junior mile on Saturday evening.
Just a week after collecting the national secondary schools 3000m title in Hamilton Beamish still had plenty of strength over the final lap to outrun schools 1500m champion Jordan Rackham of Southland and Hamilton's Jacob Priddey.
Beamish from Wanganui recorded 4m 12.18s with Rackham clocking 4m 14.07s and Priddey 4m 16.20s.
In the night of miles Katie Wright won the women's mile debuting outdoors in 4m 45.55s. She has run indoors in Oklahoma in 2009 recording 4m 58.93s.
"I can't believe that I escaped racing in America without doing an outdoors mile, but that happened," said Wright.
Georgie Grgec ran a personal best 4m 51.38s in finishing second.
In the field events four times national champion Marshall Hall was out to a personal best 54.65m with the discus and New Zealand women's champion Siositina Hakeai sent the women's discus 56.11m.

Auckland City Athletics Meeting, Mt Smart Stadium – 11 December 2013
Isaac Tatoa 60m 7.32 (+1.6), 100m 11.33 (+2.6). Louise Jones 60m 7.98 (+2.0), 100m 12.45 (+1.0). William Cowper 400m U/20 50.49. Siositina Hakeai DT 57.41m, Marshall Hall DT 52.42m, Kyle van der Merwe U/20 1.75kg DT 45.32m and 6kg SP 15.19m. Jerram Huston 7.26kg SP 13.98m. Alex Parlane 5000m 14:44.33, Josh Maisey 5000m 16:28.47.

HAMILTON
Athletics Waikato Bay of Plenty Meeting, Porritt Stadium – 14 December 2013
With three of the New Zealand Relay squads taking part in a camp in Hamilton,  Andrew Whyte headed in a star studded 400m in 46.83, from Tama Toki 47.56, Cameron French 47.98, Bailey Stewart 48.06, Frazer Wickes 48.42, Alex Jordan 48.64 and Daniel O'Shea 48.91. Joseph Millar won the 100m in 10.46 (+1.3) from Kodi Harman 10.58, Isaac Tatoa 10.71 and Ryan Howe 10.72. Kelsey Berryman won the 100m in 11.99 (+0.7) from Zoe Hobbs 12.11 and Abby Goldie 12.19. Portia Bing won the 200m in 23.96 (+3.2), Kristie Baillie the 400m in 56.02 from Brooke Cull 56.48 and Ellie McCleery 58.11. Fiona Morrison 100m hurdles in 13.65 (-0.6) from Portia Bing 14.14 and Kelsey Berryman 14.37. Zoe Ballantyne 400m hurdles in 1:00.27. Joshua Hawkins 110m hurdles in 13.92 (+2.4). Paige Harwood HJ 1.79m and in the pole vault Nicholas Southgate 4.90m and Eliza McCartney 3.90m. Luke Davison 6kg SP 15.26m.

WELLINGTON
Athletics Wellington Meeting, 3000m championships, Newtown Park – 14 December 2013
Holly van Dalen of North Harbour Bays was the star of Wellington's 3000m championships on Saturday night, comfortably easing away from the rest of the women in the Wellington 3000m championships. She set the early pace, taking just Tina Harris, Caroline Mellsop and Nicole Mitchell with her. At half way she lifted the pace and opened up what grew to a 150 metre gap on her two remaining chasers, Harris and Mellsop, to win in 9:33.64. Meanwhile the two locals stuck together chasing the Wellington title. Harris set the pace while Mellsop held on. With 500 metres to go Mellsop made her move and kept her lead until Harris caught her again in the home straight to win the title in 9:59.85. Mellsop recorded 10:01.45.
In the men's title race Evan Cooper comfortably had the measure of the field, with only Luke O'Donnell sticking with him over the last laps. In the end though Cooper had too much speed, and eased away from O'Donnell on the last lap to win the championship in 8:33.18, from Luke O'Donnell 8:40.26 and Joshua Baan 8:43.03.
Peter Stevens out-sprinted Grant McLean and Michael Wray to win the masters title in 9:44.60 and Gabrielle O'Rourke was the fastest of the masters' women running 10:44.10. Stephen Day MM ran 9:13.14.
Stephen Isaac won the 100m 11.49 (+3.7) and the 400m 51.78. Terry Collins-Hawkins (Hill City/Univ) the 200m in 22.63 (+2.4). Phoebe Edwards won the 100m H in 14.92 (+2.6) and the HJ 1.65m. Billy Crayford cleared 2.00m in the HJ. Anna Thomson TJ 11.75m (+2.1), Aprille Mincher 11.14m (+2.0) and Scott Thomson 14.72m (+1.4). Peter Baillie MM 3000m TW 16:21.46.

CHRISTCHURCH
Athletics Canterbury Meeting, Rawhiti Domain – 14 December 2013
The Canterbury master men's 5000m title went to Chris Mardon in 16:43.02 from David Fitch 17:03.32, Kerry Faass 17:05.83 and Paul Johnston 17:37.78. 
Hayden Hall 2kg DT 51.11m, Tomas Walsh 48.72m. Benn Loh HJ 1.90m. Brad Mathas 200m 24.74 (-0.1). Max Tiweka 100m 11.82 (+1.1), Jesse Bryant 11.90 (0.0). Lauren Eaton TJ 11.04m (-1.6), Georgia Freeman W15 TJ 10.26m (-0.2). Jemima Tenekoon W16 300m H 49.40. Kate Newitt 3000m walk 15:01.51, Rosie Robinson 16:51.79. Rosie Hogben W18 60m 8.47 (-0.1), 100m 13.28 (+0.7). Abbe Watson 200m 27.74 (-2.0).

DUNEDIN
Athletics Otago Meeting and Hammer Festival, Caledonian Ground – 14 December 2013
Matthew Bloxham added 1.85m to his New Zealand under 20 and under 19 6kg hammer record with a throw of 69.11m. He also threw 57.46m with the 7.26kg hammer and 72.43m with the 5kg implement. Alexandra Tavernier of France was out to 66.31m and in a further competition 68.44m in the women's hammer. Nicole Bradley threw 54.96m, Lauren Bruce 49.23m and Ella Pilkington 49.20m. Bruce also set a Canterbury W17 and W18 record of 60.17m with the 3kg hammer. Todd Bates threw 48.10m with the senior hammer, Michael Scholten 43.74m and Hamish Finnie 42.00m. Ashley Craig set a Southland M17 shot put record of 16.31m. George Woodhouse M17 TJ 11.49m (-2.5) and 100m 11.80 (-3.1). Sian English W18 1500m in a PB 4:44.21 and Wanaka based Oska Inkster-Baynes won the Otago 10,000m title in 32:17.93.

INVERCARGILL
St Pauls War Memorial Meeting, Surrey Park – 14 December 2013
The annual St Pauls Memorial Meeting had host club take the overall trophy by a big margin from Winton. Feature race, the 1500m, was won by Jack Beaumont, men, and Hannah Miller, women. All races hand timed, no wind readings – Deejay Kennedy (OM) 100m 11.0, Rebecca Gibson (OW) 100m 13.2, 400m 61.9, Kane Findlay and Sam Stewart (MU18) high jump 1.70, Jared Grieg (MU20) long jump 5.81, Sam Stewart javelin 35.15, James Tudor (MU18) 31.44.

ROAD RACES AROUND THE COUNTRY
Auckland 
O'Hagan's Viaduct 5km, 10 December: Robbie Johnson 15:44, Luke Hurring 15:44, Stuart Grange 16:24.
Rat Race 5km, Takapuna, 11 December: Paul Clark 18:36, Brett Katterns 18:36, Robert Good 19:30. Libby Evans 20:48.
Owairaka 5km in the Park, Mt Roskill, 11 December: Teklay Zinaw 16:12, Matthew Brenan 18:43, Scott Verran 18:51. Heidi Robinson 20:34.
Cornwall Park 5km, 14 December: Michael Rodliffe 18:09, Tama Christensen 18:28.

Hamilton
Eastside 5km, 10 December: Jai Davis-Campbell 15:55, Kent Hodgson 16:55, Adam McCarthy 17:11. Kovo Kowalewski 18:54.
Lake Park 5km, 14 December: Michael Mannings 18:02.
Raglan Mt Karioi 25km Trail Run, rising 1850m, 14 December: Chris Morrissey 3:15:22, Stephen Wagner 3:25:21, Tom Wellby 3:26:11. Kovo Kowalewski 3:44:48, Marion Millward 4:09:13, Jess Brown 4:53:04.

Wellington
Lifestyle Sports Waterfront 5km Series, 10 December: Jason Waite 16:52, Peter Stevens 16:55, Grant McLean 17:00. Walk Fraser Samson 30:03. Terri Grimmett 31:17.
Lower Hutt Parkrun 5km, 14 December: Alastair Willis 18:42. 
Porirua Parkrun 5km, 14 December: Alex Procter 17:53.

Nelson
The Honest Lawyer 5km, 9 December: Simon Leaning 18:07, Lachlan Brownlie 18:29, Ian Courtenay 18:30. 
Waimea 5km Summer Series, 11 December: Sam Blackshear 18:55, Bret Scofield 19:06, Tim Cross 19:18.

Murray McKinnon 
Athletics Correspondent
Athletics New Zealand