Athletics New Zealand – News – Valerie Adams wins in Oregon and Weekly Roundup

USA – IAAF Diamond League, Prefontaine Classic Eugene Oregon – 31 May 2013
Double Olympic and triple world shot put champion Valerie Adams started her IAAF Diamond League season with a win in the shot put at the prestigious Prefontaine Classic meeting.

In her first major competition since the end of the 2012 season, Adams threw a best of 20.15m, just 3cm ahead of China's Gong Lijao. Adams held the early lead with throws of 19.90m and 19.96m, but Gong went into the lead with a third round throw of 20.12m. Adams regained the lead in the fifth round with her longest throw of the night and the Chinese athlete could not respond.
Michelle Carter from USA was third with 19.65m.
There is now a three-way tie on four points in the Diamond League after two shot put competitions between Adams (1 win) Christina Schwanitz, Germany (1 win) and Gong (2 x 2nd placings).

NCAA Regionals
East Regionals, Greensboro North Carolina – 23/25 May 2013
Laura Nagel was 4th in her heat of the 5000m in 16m 00.89s and had 4th fastest time overall to qualify for NCAA finals at Eugene Oregon. She was just 2secs behind the winner. Joining her will be Julia Ratcliffe who was 4th in the hammer throw with a best of 63.04m, just one metre behind the winner.
Kiwis that didn't make it to Eugene were Olivia Burne was fifth in her heat of the 1500m in 4m 27.73s to qualify for the quarter final round but finished 12th in her heat in 4m 44.89s so did not progress to Oregon. Dominic Channon was 8th in his 5000m heat and 18th overall with a time of 14m 20.64s.
West Regionals, Austin Texas – 23/25 May 2013
Katherine Camp was the pick of the Kiwis placing second in her 800m heat with a time of 2m 07.83s to automatically qualify for the next round, but after enduring a three hour storm delay finished 12th in her quarter final in 2m 10.29s. Matt Russ was 9th in his 1500m heat in 3m 57.11s to be 40th of the 48 overall. Charlotte Muschamp placed 41st with a jump of 11.89m in her triple jump.

CANADA
University of Windsor Open Meeting, Ontario – 25 May 2013
Dallas Bowden cut nearly five seconds off his PB in winning the 1500m in 3m 45.52s.

AUCKLAND
Winter Throws Competition, AUT Millennium Stadium – 1 June 2013
Matthew Bloxham warmed up well for the forthcoming world youth championships with a throw of 73.21m with the 5kg hammer. Bloxham was just 26cm short of his New Zealand U/17 and U/18 record. He also had the 5kg shot out to 18.81m and the 1.5kg discus out to 47.57m. Benedict Chong Wong was not far behind with the 5kg shot with 18.13m. Adam Miller threw the 7.26kg hammer 52.13m while national women’s champion Nicole Bradley threw the 4kg hammer 55.63m. Ella Pilkington was second with 43.42m. In the 2kg discus Richard Callister threw 42.70m and Alexander Parkinson 40.37m.

TAURANGA
Mt Joggers and Walkers 27th Half Marathon, Mt Maunganui – 2 June 2013
Ben Ruthe won in 1h 11m 22s, from Kyle MacDonald 1h 12m 3s, Iain MacDonald 1h 12m 58s and Angus Bell 1h 16m 0s. Jessica Ruthe won the women’s half in 1h 16m 9s, from Brenda Poutawera 1h 32m 33s and Dianne Bulled 1h 32m 48s.

CHRISTCHURCH
Christchurch Airport Marathon – 2 June 2013
Phil Costley of Nelson made it three times the winner of the Christchurch Marathon. The 43 year old who has 31 national running titles to his credit clocked 2h 35m 0s in heading in Hastings Ross McIntyre (48) by 1m 53s. Costley also won in 1999 and 2004.
Jesse Gibbs (21) of Dunedin was third in 2h 41m 18s. Pre-race favourite Sam Wreford of Timaru withdrew at 28km due to a stomach bug.
Liza Hunter-Galvan (43) who is based in Texas won the women’s section for the third year in a row in 2h 50m 26s. Hunter-Galvan also won the event in 1999. Victoria Beck who was closing in on Hunter-Galvan over the closing stages was second in 2h 51m 50s with Hanmer half marathon winner last month in 1h 26m 44s Klaartji van Schie third in 2h 53m 31s.
National half marathon champion Hamish Carson ran a personal best of 1h 6m 5s to narrowly win the half marathon from national 5000m champion Hugo Beamish 1h 6m 10s and Aaron Pulford 1h 6m 11s. National marathon and half marathon champion Alex Williams won the women’s half marathon in a career best 1h 16m 25s, beating her time of 1h 17m 40s in last year’s Buller Half. Sally Gibbs of Tauranga, who turns 50 on Wednesday, broke her own New Zealand masters W45-49 record in finishing second in 1h 17m 3s. Lisa Robertson followed up her win in the Huntly half marathon last week with third in a well paced 1h 17m 30s, setting her up for a targeted 2h 35m marathon on the Gold Coast early next month. Roseanne Robinson won the half marathon walk in 2h 00m 51s with Nigel Whalley second in 2h 1m 25s.
There was a solid line up in the finish of the 10km, Daniel Balchin winning in 30m 54s from Brett Smith 31m 32s, Mark Bailey 32m 15s, Wayne Guest 32m 25s, Glenn Hughes 32m 46s, and Richard Bennett 33m 6s. Nicki McFadzien won the women’s 10km in 34m 31s, from Danielle Ingram-Trevis 35m15s, Penny Peskett 35m 26s and Reubyn Bisschops 35m 44s. Jonathon Lord won the 10km walk in 47m 34s with Courtney Ruske the first woman in the walk in 53m 44s.
Over 4700 runners and walkers from 13 countries took part across all events.

UNITED KINGDOM
New Zealand runner Hayley Kuter, based in Manchester UK, was fifth in the Edinburgh Marathon on 26 May 2013 in 2h 54m 4s. Kuter was through the half in 1h 21m 44s and was then forced to stop at 22 miles to seek medical attention to her foot which had troubled her leading into the race.

QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS
Ross Dallow JP was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit MNZM for services to the community. Ross was the New Zealand junior discus throw champion in 1956. He has coached discus throwers for a number of years including Beatrice Faumuina. Ross has been one of the driving forces behind the Waitakere Athletic Club and drove the fund raising for the building and establishing of the Trusts Stadium and the Douglas Track and Field Stadium. He is a Life Member of the Waitakere Athletic Club.

Garth Barfoot was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit MNZM for services to business, sport and the community. Garth is a long standing member of the Calliope Club in Auckland and has made a considerable contribution to sport through sponsorship from his real estate company Barfoot and Thompson.

Ron Cain received the Queen’s Service Medal QSM for services to athletics. Ron has been a member of the Caversham Club since 1945 and was made a Life Member of the Club in 1964. He was a national cross country selector for 15 years and managed the New Zealand team to the 1981 world cross country championships in Madrid Spain. He was an official in athletes control at the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games. Ron is a Life Member of Athletics Otago. He was President of Athletics New Zealand 1992-93 and was made a Life member of Athletics New Zealand in 2010.

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

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