Athletics: Speakman lowers own 1500m best in Oz run

Eric Speakman.

Take note of the time Hawke's Bay Olympic Games hopeful Eric Speakman recorded in his latest 1500m race.

It could be one of the questions at Sunday night's trivia fundraiser for Speakman at the Napier Harrier Club's Taradale Sports Association headquarters.

Wearing his Napier club colours, he produced a personal best time of 3m 40.26s when he finished fourth at the opening round of the IAAF World Challenge in Melbourne last weekend.

Australian record holder Ryan Gregson won the race in 3m 38.06s after producing a strong surge with 400m still to run. That caught Kenya's Commonwealth Games champion James Magut off guard and he was left battling Australian 5000m Olympian Collis Birmingham and Speakman for the minor spots.

Magut was second in 3:40.03, just edging Birmingham who stopped the clock at 3:40.16 and Speakman.

Despite regretting not following Gregson's surge entering the final lap, Speakman was happy with the race.

"I felt really strong, even crossing the line. I'm sure I could have gone faster had the race gone differently," the former Taradale High School pupil said.

Earlier this year he became the fourth Bay athlete to break the 4-minute mile, running 3:57.4 at the Cooks Garden Classic in Whanganui but he needs to further reduce this time if he is to achieve his aim of joining Nick Willis in representing New Zealand in the 1500m in Rio de Janiero later this year.

Speakman is likely to have two more races before heading to the United States for altitude training in Colorado. He will then move on to the European racing season.

Funds raised on Sunday night will assist New Zealand's 39th sub-4-minute miler's Olympic qualifying campaign.