Athletics New Zealand – News – Athletics NZ Weekly Roundup 26 Nov 2012 – Ekiden Relay, Chiba – Waitakere Athletic Club 60th Jubilee Meeting

JAPAN – Ekiden Relay, Chiba – 23 November 2012
The Robertson twins Zane and Jake, who are based in Kenya, excelled as New Zealand finished a creditable seventh out of 15 teams in the Chiba Ekiden Relay.

The 23 year olds were the fastest on their legs, Zane on the opening 5km lap had New Zealand in front with his time of 13m 29s and Jake on the third lap of 10km was superb running 28m 40s.

Danielle Ingram-Trevis recorded 17m 1s (13th) on the second 5km leg with the team in eighth place. Camille Buscomb covered the fourth 5km lap in 17m 14s for 11th best and had the team in seventh. The team remained in seventh with Tim Hodge recording the fourth best time of 30m on the fifth 10km leg and Sarah Drought anchored the team home running the final 7.195km in 24m 40s for ninth overall best. Hodge was up against Galen Rupp of USA who was the quickest in 28m 20s.

Their total time for the marathon distance was 2h 11m 4s, just three seconds behind Canada. Kenya won in 2h 5m 6s, ten seconds ahead of Japan with USA third in 2h 6m 36s.
The result is a significant improvement for the young New Zealand team with an average age of just 23 on the 2011 race where the team was placed 11th in 2h 14m 37s.

AUCKLAND
Waitakere Athletic Club 60th Jubilee Meeting, Douglas Track – 24 November 2012
World junior and youth shot put champion Jacko Gill was reasonably happy with his opening competition of the season with the senior weighted shot on Saturday.
The 17 year old throwing sensation was competing at Douglas Track & Field and was keen to get a good early performance in looking towards the world championships in Moscow next August.
Gill was out to 19.78m in the first round, improved to 19.93m in the next attempt and his best of 20.05m came in round four. His New Zealand record with the 7.26kg shot is 20.38m.
“I’m pretty happy with the 20.05m, but I thought there was a lot more today and hopefully in the next couple of competitions I’ll get it out further,” said Gill.
He is counting on the strength that he has built up over the past 12 months.
“I’m a lot stronger; it’s just controlling the powering and getting it into the technique, because right now I’m not channelling the power in the right way to throw faster – so hopefully I can do that in the next couple of weeks.”

Sam Ulufonua was also in action with the 5kg shot which he had out to 17.16m.
National sprint champion Joseph Millar of Tauranga was back at the scene of his national sprint triumphs last March with convincing wins into a steady head wind in the 60m, 100m and 200m. He clocked impressive times of 7.10s (-2.6), 10.79s (-2.0) and 21.92s (-2.9).
Millar says that his starts have improved from last season.
“I’m definitely stronger at the start, the end needs a bit of work, but I’m really happy with what I’m putting out this early in the season,” said Millar.

Joshua Hawkins after being out all of last season with an Achilles injury tested himself over the sprint hurdles. The silver medallist from the last world youth championships was over the junior 110m hurdles in 14.06s (+0.4).
“I came out here to start the season off really well. It was a bit rusty, but it’s a good start,” he said.
“Everything is going according to plan. Since my injury I’ve been a bit cautious but we’ve covered that and I’m on track for a really good season,” added Hawkins.
Elizabeth Lamb won the 100m hurdles in 14.87s (0.0).
Zoe Ballantyne had a massive improvement in her 400m personal best time in beating national junior champion Ellie McCleery in 55.28s. McCleery was just off her best time recording 55.91s.
Ballantyne said that she had bounced back from a disappointing race the previous week.
“My coach was disappointed in me last weekend so I had to run extra hard for him. I just went out really hard and just kept it the whole way. It was really good and I had a couple of my friends here to support,” she said.
Henry Boyhan of Sacred Heart College sharpened up for the national secondary schools championships winning the senior 400m in 49.68s.
Jared Free (15) carved over half a minute off his previous best in setting a fresh Auckland M16 3000m race walking record of 15m 29.91s.

PALMERSTON NORTH
Regional Teams Round 3, Massey University Track – 24 November 2012
Matt Baxter was in top form in the 3000m winning in 8m 19.91s. Other good times were posted by Evan Cooper 8m 24.97s, Antoine Bonnet 8m 26.55s and Tim Cornish 8m 26.99s. Zac Topping won the sprint double 100m in 10.95s (-1.0) and 200m 22.80s (-0.3). Shannon Geary won the same double with 12.25s (+0.4) and 25.82s (-1.0). Zoe Hobbs was second on both occasions 12.27s and 25.94s and she also won the LJ 5.36m (+0.3). Scott Burch won the 400m in 50.20s with Lisa Osborne recording 58.93s. The 800m winners were Kieron McDonald 1m 53.95s and Ariana Harper 2m 12.86s. Alison Andrews-Paul won the 1500m in 4m 42.96s.

Ben Langton-Burnell had the senior javelin out to 67.93m and Ryan Tinkle threw the senior hammer 56.12m. Montaya Wharehinga senior women’s hammer 46.45m. Kyle Van der Merwe (17) SP 15.32m and DT 48.94m. Triple jump winners Scott Thomson 14.87m (+2.2) and Anna Thomson 11.58m (+2.3). Regan Standing was over the high jump at 2.05m and James Hutchens cleared 6.83m (+0.1) in the LJ. Stephanie Dickins covered the 300m hurdles in 45.49s and Valarie Chan reached up to 3.25m in the pole vault.

NELSON
Tasman Clubs Championships, Saxton Field – 24 November 2012
Alex Jordan won the sprint double, 100m in 11.05s and 200m in 22.04s (+1.3). The third fastest New Zealander over 400m has had a solid winter of training.
“I’ve put in the best base I ever have,” he said.
“I did a 1000m time trial in workout and came through the 800m in 1m 56s.”
Mike Lowe U/19 1500m 4m 8.23s, Jess Martin U/17 1500m 4m 51.50s, Georgia Teakle U/17 800m PB 2m 29.75s. Kai Mason five U17 field event victories LJ 5.46m (+0.6), TJ 11.06m (+1.6), SP 12.14m, DT 37.69m, JT 37.27m. Chris Blake U/20 LJ 6.73m (+1.8), TJ 13.36m (+1.3). HJ 1.90m. Dale Pritchard SM SP 14.53m, DT 44.49m. Rosie Taylor-Richmond U/17 LJ 5.11m (+1.7), TJ 10.39m (+1.3), HJ 1.50m.

DUNEDIN
Centre Throwing Events Caledonian Stadium – 24 November 2012
Nicole Bradley hammer throw 56.79m, Dean Rusbatch SM 49.64m. Scott McLaren SM javelin throw 53.10m, Tori Peeters W18 600g JT 45.76m.

INVERCARGILL
Southland Centre Meet, Surrey Park – 23 November 2012
Hinewai Collins improved her personal best in the shot for the second successive week with a 10.97m put. Hannah Cook won the competition with 11.44m. However Collins is contesting the junior shot at the NZSS champs while Cook will be in the senior grade throwing a heavier implement. Ffion Muhl improved her 2000m steeplechase PB, running 7m 41.28s. Rebecca Peterson 12.78s and Deejay Kennedy were best in the short sprints while Rebecca Gibson (27.12s), Ethan Campbell (23.79s) and Michael Peterson (23.82s) were fastest over 200m.  Greer Alsop’s 5.25m long jump and Charlotte Muschamp’s 11.51m triple jump off a 4-step run up were the best of the jumpers. 

ROAD RACES AROUND THE COUNTRY
Auckland
Pakuranga 5km Series, 19 November: Peter Wieser 18m 21s, Kevin Palmer 19m 3s. Katie Dickinson 22m 8s.
O’Hagan’s Viaduct 5km, 20 November: Simon Riley 16m 27s, Sam Corbett 16m 43s, Michael Rodliffe 16m 47s. Claire Macky 19m 20s, Charlotte Brown 20m 41s.
YMCA 10km Series, Auckland Domain, 22 November: Warick Brenan 34m 52s, Ian Whitaker 36m 26s, Andrew Stewart 38m 29s.

Hamilton
Eastside Riverpath 5km, 20 November: Grant Budd 17m 44s, Sunil Ritchie 17m 53s, Andrew Wark 17m 59s. Rachel O’Donnell 21m 19s.

Tauranga
Smiths Sports Shoes Everyone’s 5km, 22 November: Andrew Lloyd 16m 15s, Darren Blackwell 17m 32s, Reuben Tomlinson 17m 52s. Erin Conway 20m 58s.

Napier
Bluewater Hotel 5km, 20 November: Graham Bee 16m 25s, Zach Gedye 17m 25s, James Bell 18m 9s. Holly Manning 20m 39s, Keiko Hashiba 21m 23s.

Wellington
Lifestyle Sports Waterfront 5km Series, 20 November: Matt Dravitzki 16m 7s, Tom Lynskey 17m 14s, Grant Pritchard 17m 17s. Rebecca Keat 18m 29s, Helen Sharpe 21m 30s, Rebecca Speirs 21m 30s. Walk Fraser Samson 31m 25s, Frances Le Fort 35m 10s.

Nelson
Waimea Vineyard 5km Summer Series, 21 November Estuary Course: Simon Leaning 17m 30s, Daryl Cotton 18m 50s. Colette Read 19m 58s.
Run Mahana Half Marathon, Upper Moutere, 25 November: Brian Kemp 1h 21m 51s, Alan Bryson 1h 22m 48s. Colette Read 1h 32m 28s, Cheryl Young 1h 38m 30s.

Leeston
Ellesmere Road Runners Half Marathon, 24 November: Kerry Faass 1h 17m 31s, Robert Loveridge 1h 19m 9s, Nathan Bell 1h 19m 26s. Fiona Gilroy 1h 27m 43s, Sue Crowley 1h 28m 55s, Leonie Kaywood 1h 30m 57s.

SPORTS AWARDS
Sport Waitakere Awards 7 November: Service to Athletics Award Howard Baker.
Harbour Sport Excellence Awards 16 November: Junior Sportsman of the Year Jacko Gill. Maori Sports Performer of the Year Brent Newdick. Sport Acknowledgment Award Russ Hoggard.
Wanganui Sports Awards 16 November: the Wanganui Collegiate 4 x 400m relay team, who won the New Zealand Secondary School Senior Boys title in 2011 and broke the record by 4 seconds in the process, won the Junior Team of the year award, while Tom Symes won the Junior National Sportsperson of the year award.
Auckland College Sports Awards 22 November: Award for Athletics, male Dalton Coppins, female Siositina Hakeai. Award for Distance Running, male Finn Wilson, female Ashleigh Williams.
Counties Manukau Sports Awards 22 November: Junior Sportswoman of the Year Siositina Hakeai. Service to Sport Awards Peter Booker Athletics, Sue and Marten Bearda Athletics. Masters Award Earl Crowley. Sportswoman of the Year Valerie Adams. Overall Sporting Excellence Award Valerie Adams.

OBITUARY
Legendary figure in Otago Masters Athletics Bill Kenny of Leith Harrier & Athletic Club died on Sunday 18 November aged 76, after having collapsed on a beach run the previous Wednesday.
Bill was a Scottish junior cross country international who immigrated to Dunedin in 1974. The retired plumber excelled in masters middle distance running and in February this year finished third in three events in the M75 grade at the Oceania Championships held in Tauranga. He was third in the 400m in 1m 22.70s, third in the 800m in 3m 19.96s and third in the 1500m in 6m 56.77s.
He enjoyed his athletics with an unlimited amount of passion. Athletics was a year round occupation travelling frequently to Australia, America, Canada and his native Scotland for competition during New Zealand winter months. Bill set numerous Otago masters records over the past 35 years from 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m, to 2000m and 3000m steeplechase

He will be sadly missed in the Otago Masters Athletics community for his ever present sense of humour and his eagerness to discuss athletics with anyone at any time. Leith Harriers says that he will be sorely missed on their Club runs where his rich Scots brogue would often warm the wintry air with tales of races won and races lost.          

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

 

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