Athletics New Zealand – Robertson leads New Zealand to excellent Ekiden performance

New Zealand has finished sixth at the prestigious Chiba Ekiden Relay in Japan.
Lead by an outstanding run on the third leg by Zane Robertson, the six-person team had its highest place finish and fastest time in the seven years since the format was changed to a mixed team in 2007.

After solid runs from Nick Willis, 8th fastest on the 5km lap 1 in 14:11 and Lucy van Dalen, 4th fastest on the 5km lap 2 in 15:43, the Kiwis sat in sixth place.

Robertson took the sash – used rather than a baton, for the third lap of 10km and immediately started making ground on the teams ahead of the New Zealanders, eventually picking off every team with the exception of the Kenyans who went on to win the race convincingly.

Robertson's time for the 10km was an outstanding 28:04, setting a new lap record for lap 3 at Chiba and equalling the New Zealand 10km road running record held by Jono Wyatt set at Chiba in 1996.

The performance later earned Robertson the MVP award across all teams at the world's leading Ekiden relay.

With the team holding second place, Holly van Dalen took over and ran 16:41 for eighth place on the lap, but more importantly, only allowed the Japanese team past, finishing the leg with New Zealand in third place.

New Zealand Cross Country and Road champion Malcolm Hicks ran the fifth leg of 10km, producing the fifth fastest lap, with the Russians and Japan University teams moving past the Kiwis. 

Nikki McFadzien fought bravely to maintain the team's fifth placing, but the USA team squeezed past within the last kilometre.

The New Zealand were very satisfied with their performance, finishing just 1:44 behind the second placed Japanese team and heading off teams of the quality of Germany, Canada, Australia and France.

Daniel Balchin, the men’s back-up runner won the 5000m track race for the team reserves, recording a huge PB of 13:57.26 while Rachel Kingsford placed fifth in the women’s reserve race in 16:47.42.

Athletics New Zealand

Result

1  Kenya   2:03:59
2  Japan   2:07:13
3  Russia   2:07:22
4  Japan Universities   2:08:03
5  USA   2:08:31
6  New Zealand   2:08:57
7  Germany   2:11:16
8  Canada   2:11:30
9  Australia   2:11:54
10  France   2:13:16

New Zealand team times

Nick Willis   5km   14:11   8th
Lucy Van Dalen   5km   15:43   4th
Zane Robertson   10km   28:04   1st
Holly Van Dalen   5km   16:41   8th
Malcolm Hicks   10km   29:42     5th
Nikki McFadzien   7.195km   24:36   8th