Athletics New Zealand – News – Athletics NZ Weekly Roundup 19 May

USATF Performance Distance Classic, Occidental College Eagle Rock Los Angeles – 15 May 2014
Delhi Commonwealth Games double silver medallist Nikki Hamblin showed a great return to form in finishing second in the 1500m in 4:07.07, under the Glasgow Commonwealth Games B performance standard of 4:09.00. Lucy Van Dalen was fourth in the second division 1500m in 4:12.49. Kate Van Buskirk of Canada won the first division race in a personal best 4:06.97.

Nick Willis added to his options at the Glasgow Games running under the B standard of 13:25 in the 5000m finishing third in a personal best 13:20.33. His previous best was 13:27.54 in Sacramento in June 2005. Collis Birmingham of Australia won in 13:18.57 with Galen Rupp of USA second in 13:19.59. Malcolm Hicks was 18th in 14:15.08.
Julian Matthews further cemented his claims for a place in the 1500m at Glasgow with a second B performance effort and personal best of 3:38.20 finishing third in the second division of the 1500m. Matthews previous best was 3:38.59 in Belgium in July last year. Hamish Carson was just over a second outside the B standard in finishing eighth in the same race in 3:39.63.

Ivy League Heptagonal Meeting, New Haven Connecticut – 10 May 2014
Julia Ratcliffe hammer throw 67.75m (1), (64.11m, 67.09m, 67.70m, 66.86m, 67.75m, F).

Big Eastern Meeting, Villanova Philadelphia – 11 May 2014
Julian Oakley 1500m 3:47.89 (3).

Sunbelt Conference Track and Field Championships, San Marcos – 10 May 2014
Craig Lautenslager 10,000m debut 31:16.25 (1). 12 May; 5000m 15:15.73 (5r2).

CHINA
Diamond League Golden Grand Prix, Shanghai – 18 May 2014
Zane Robertson finished 15th 5000m at the year’s second Diamond League meeting in Shanghai, recording 13:23.97. Yenew Alamirew of Ethiopia, who was 12th in the 5000m at the London Olympics, won in 13:04.83.
Robertson, a finalist in the World Indoor Champs 3000 in Poland in March and the 5000m at the Moscow World championships in 2013 has a best time of 13:13.83 set in Belgium last year.
Robertson has already been selected for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 5000 and also has a qualifying time in the 1500.

HUNTLY
Huntly Half Marathon – 18 May 2014
Sam Wreford of Timaru travelled north for a training run and in the process ran out a clear winner of the annual Huntly half marathon yesterday.
The 31 year old led throughout and finished in a career best 1:06:41, nearly five minutes clear of Samuel Murphy of Townsville. He was 46 seconds faster than his second placing to Kenyan Kip Kemei at Huntly in 2012.
Wreford said that the conditions were ideal, cool with patches of fog.
“It was a good solid hit out before the marathon in Christchurch in two weeks. I wanted to see where my shape is and get a bit of an indication,” he said.
“I was injured after last year’s Auckland marathon (which he won in 2:18:57) so that took out about three months of training. I was going to the Boston marathon but that wasn’t to be. Training has since gone well and I ran just under 30 minutes for 10km last weekend in Timaru,” said Wreford.
He is not dismissing having a crack at the New Zealand cross country title which he won in Hamilton in 2012.
“I’d love to turn up and challenge that cross country especially being in Christchurch,” he added.
Murphy said that he was pleased with his time of 1:11:27 which he was using as a training run for the Cairns Ironman in three weeks.
“Coming from Townsville I felt the cold this morning and had to do a bit of a longer warm-up,” he said.
“I’ve got the Cairns Ironman and hopefully Kona after that now I know that my running is working,”
Sasha Daniels of Auckland was third in 1:14:51 Corey Hinde of Hamilton fourth in 1:16:55 and Auckland’s Gavin Stevens (58) fifth in 1:17:18.
New Zealand 10,000m track champion Lydia O’Donnell from North Harbour Bays won the women’s half marathon in a PB 1:17:05 by nearly seven minutes faster than Rotorua’s Sue Crowley. Kovo Kowalewski of Hamilton was third in 1:25:22.
It was the first time for O’Donnell in Huntly.
“I haven’t run a half in about three years and I went out a bit fast, so I pulled back and stuck behind the guys. I went through the 10km in 36:50 and I felt really good,” she said.
The 23 year old said that she was lucky to be running in a big race.
“I just pumped myself up the hills trying to stay with the guys. I’ve run at Kerikeri and the Auckland half and I did today’s race for a bit of mileage for the track season and more 10,000 metres,” she added.
O’Donnell’s previous best was 1:17:25 in winning the 2009 Kerikeri Half.
Crowley was in awe of O’Donnell’s performance.
“I couldn’t match that one at the front, she went so fast. I don’t know if it is inspiring or depressing – I’ll go with inspiring,” said Cowley who improved four minutes on her time last year.
Jonny McKee of Pakuranga won the 10km in 32:09, coming two weeks after winning the half marathon in Rotorua in 1:07:48.
“I was still feeling the effects of that today. It is a good start to the season so hopefully there is more to come. I’m getting the mileage up for once without getting injured which is nice,” said McKee.
“I’m having a good go at the Auckland and New Zealand cross country champs, there’s some good runners around so it will be pretty tough, I’m in the 35 age category now but I will do one more year as a senior and give it everything I can as my last time,” he added.
Ryan McAlister of Wellington was second in 32:38 and Steve Rees-Jones of Hamilton third in 32:40. Kirsten Milne of Hamilton won the women’s 10km in 39:39.

WELLINGTON
University Cross Country Relays, Mackays Crossing Paekakariki – 17 May 2014
Wellington Scottish won the senior men and senior women relays. Luke O’Donnell, Chris McIlroy, Martin Van Barnveld and Rowan Hooper recorded 52:02, three minutes faster than Hutt Valley. Cameron Goldsmid ran the fastest 4km lap in 12:30, Van Barnveld recorded 12:47 and O’Donnell 12:52. The women’s team of Tina Harris, Emily Solsberg, Amanda Broughton and Hinano Andrews won in 63:21 with Harris the fastest with 14:48. Olympic won the master men, the master men 50 plus, the master women and the junior women. Wellington HAC won the junior men Marcus Karamanolis the fastest in 13:02.

MASTERTON
Winter Series, Colin Pugh Sports Bowl – 18 May 2014
Jordan Peters 100m 11.22 (+0.6), HJ 1.90m, TJ 13.94 (-0.8). Alexander Howden 100m 11.28, Finn Yeats 100m 11.30. David Lovelock 3000m 9:01.12. Ariana Blackwood SP 10.12m, DT 39.02m.

CHRISTCHURCH
Jane Paterson Cross Country Races, Rawhiti Domain – 17 May 2014
Oska Inkster-Baynes won the senior 9km in 29:59 from Simon Wooding 34:37 and Thomas Ditchfield 34:48. Kerry Faass was the best of the masters in 32:22. Sumner won the senior and masters teams with Christchurch Avon winning the masters 50 plus teams. Rosa Flanagan blitzed the women’s 6km in 20:38. Angie Smit was second in 22:27 with Kim Wilcock third in 24:46. Fiona Gilroy ran 26:03 in the masters. University won the women’s teams and Port Hills the masters. Ben Musson won the junior men 6km in 20:37 from Euan Van der Peet 20:57 and Matthew Dryden 21:07. In the youth 6km Sean Eustace clocked 19:44 to head in Cameron Avery 20:11 and Matthew Prest 20:31. Christchurch Avon won both team titles. Gabrielle Gray won the junior women’s 4.5km in 16:54 and Harriet Bush ran 18:09 in the youth 4.5km.

DUNEDIN
Otago Peninsula 23km Challenge – 18 May 2014
Neale McLanachan won in 1:39:01 from Jonah Smith 1:41:17 and Steven Smith 1:45:22. Sarah Chisnall was the first woman in 1:53:53, Donna Young was second in 2:04:54 and Amanda Mulock third in 2:09:26.

GORE
Gore Half Marathon – 18 May 2014
Youngsters triumphed with Jack Beaumont (17, Winton club) and Jordan Rackham (18, Invercargill) taking first two places 1:16:30 to 1:17:11. Last year’s winner Ricky Gutsell (51, Gore) was third 1:20:48, holding out another youngster, Liam Cullen (15, St Pauls) 1:21:40. The women’s race also went to a junior runner with Hannah Miller (16) giving her home club a win in 1:34:00. Val Muskett in the masters ran 1:42:12. Ollie Chignell (Dunedin) first in 6k (21:03), Emily Knowler (11) first female 6k 28:09; Joe Beamish (Otago) was convincing winner of 12k (42:04) ahead of Richard Hendry (47:56) and Jenna Davis-Weir first female (51:30) from Sue Cuthbert (51:49). Conditions were wet and cool.

TE ANAU
Southland Secondary Schools Cross Country, Ivon Wilson Park – 14 May 2014
Briana Miller (SGHS) was the sole record breaker of the championship, winning the U13 girls 3k in 14:56. Jack Beaumont (NSC) was within 6 seconds of the senior boys record over 6km, winning in 20:20 from Jordan Rackham 21:12.

ROAD RACES AROUND THE COUNTRY
Auckland
O’Hagan’s Viaduct 5km, 13 May: Sam Corbett 16:59, John Mauro 17:12, Richard Conyngham 17:22.
Rat Race 5km, Takapuna, 14 May: Gavin Butler 18:20, Shaun Cooper 18:37
Cornwall Park 5km, 17 May: Bradley Hall 17:10, Daniel Guan-Ming Chen 17:29, Scott Winton 17:51.
Barry Curtis Parkrun 5km, Botany Downs, 17 May: Michael Weldschidt 19:37.

Hamilton
Parkrun 5km, 17 May: Mike Brightwell 19:37.

Porirua
Bothamley Park 5km Parkrun, 17 May: Robert Tang 18:30.

Wellington
Lower Hutt 5km Parkrun, 17 May: Leon Falvey 18:00, Walter Somerville 18:24, Alastair Willis 18:36.

Dunedin
Botanic Garden 5km Parkrun, 17 May: Alan Funnell 18:24.

 

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