15th NZ title for Dame Valerie and 2010 World Indoor Champs gold medal

Dame Valerie Adams was always going to be one of the special stars of the 2018 Jennian Homes NZ Track & Field championships in Hamilton irrespective of how far she threw.

In her first competition since September 2016 and the first since the birth of her daughter in October, Dame Valerie propelled the shot 17.83m and pronounced she is looking forward to competing at her fifth Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in five weeks.

The 33 year old was very consistent in her six attempts and revealed after the competition that she was nervous during the event, not having been in competition mode for so long and having very different priorities in her life now.

She was pushed all the way by two young throwers, 18 year old Aucklander Maddison Wesche who hit a personal best 16.94m and 23 year old Torie Owers from Canterbury who had a best of 16.42m. Wesche had earlier in the day won her fifth under 20 shot put 20 title.

To cap off the day, Dame Valerie was presented with the gold medal she should have been awarded at the 2010 World Indoor Championshipsm but was denied by a drugs cheat.

Joseph Millar made it 100m title number five with a clinical display of sprinting, winning the senior mens 100m in 10.46 into a slight head wind from hurdler Joshua Hawkins (10.77) and Scott Walker (10.79).

In winning his fifth title, the Waikato BoP sprinter equalled the feat of current NZ 100m record holder Gus Nketia and Chris Donaldson who both won five titles.

Zoe Hobbs (Auckland) retained her senior womens 100m title in a smart 11.66 from rising sprinter Olivia Eaton from Taranaki and Livvy Wilson from Auckland.

Oli Chignell from Otago, the national under 20 cross country champion ran outstandingly to win the senior 5000m title in 14:31.53, just ahead of NZ 3000m champion Peter Wheeler (Auckland) with 14:31.64. Newly crowned 10,000m champion Craig Lautenslager from Tasman filled third in 14:40.65.

Olivia Burne led an Auckland trifecta in the senior womens 5000m, adding another win to a growing list of distance titles ahead of Lydia ODonnell and Penny Peskett.

Phoebe McKnight (Wellington) and Mitchell Small (Canterbury) are the new 5000m under 20 champions, while under 18 3000m titles went to Hannah OConnor (Taranaki) and Liam Back (Wanganui).

Siositina Hakeai celebrated confirming her spot on the Commonwealth Games Team two days ago by taking her sixth New Zealand discus title with a winning throw of 57.31m. Her Auckland training partner Te Rina Keenan threw 53.38m for second and Lauren Bruce (Canterbury) filled the third spot with 48.50m.

Marshall Hall (Southland) won his ninth mens discus title with a toss of 56.46m, short of the 61.00m he was looking for to confirm his Games team spot. Auckland thrower Alexander Parkinson came very close to toppling Hall with a throw of 56.06, while Nathaniel Sulupo (Samoa) came in third.

Matt Bloxham doesnt throw much these days, putting a lot of time into his work and study, but it didnt stop the 22 year old Auckland athlete taking his fourth consecutive mens hammer title, throwing 62.52m. Warren Button came in second with 58.51m, while 19 year old Anthony Nobilo threw a personal best 56.85m in third.

Under 20 100m titles went to Lucy Sheat (Tasman) and Ethan Holman (Waikato BoP), while the under 18 100m finals were won by Dominic Overend (Auckland) and 15 year old Genna Maples (Whanganui).

Para athletes to shine included sprinters Danielle Aitchison (Waikato BoP) and Ethan Rangi (Auckland).

Holly Robinson, Lisa Adams and Matthew Eady stood out among the para throwers, while William Stedman and Anna Steven had the longest jumps amongst the para athletes.

Results

Jennian Homes New Zealand Track and Field Championships

Men

Senior:

100m: Joseph Millar (WaikBoP) 10.46s 1, Joshua Hawkins (Akld) 10.77s 2, Scott Walker (Cant) 10.79s 3.

5000m: Oli Chignell (Otago) 14m 31.53s 1, Peter Wheeler (Akld) 14m 31.64s 2, Craig Lautenslager (Tas) 14m 40.65s 3.

3000m race walk: Scott Nelson (Intl) 14m 44.59s 1, Mike Parker (Akld) 15m 49.80s 2, David Smyth (Intl) 16m 47.25s 3.

Discus throw: Marshall Hall (Sthld) 56.46m 1, Alexander Parkinson (Akld) 56.06m 2, Nathaniel Sulupo (Samoa) 50.16m 3, Jack Welsh (Sthld) 43.09m 4.

Hammer throw: Matthew Bloxham (Akld) 62.52m 1, Warren Button (WaikBoP) 58.51m 2, Anthony Nobilo (Akld) 56.85m 3.

Under 20:

100m: Ethan Holman (WaikBoP) 10.99s 1, Cody Wilson (Wgtn) 11.01s 2, Nick Smith (Wgtn) 11.10s 3.

5000m: Mitchell Small (Cant) 15m 00.73s 1, Connor Melton (Cant) 15m 4.88s 2, Christopher Dryden (Cant) 15m 7.06s 3.

3000m race walk: Alexander Brown (Otago) 14m 58.83s 1.

Hammer throw: Anthony Nobilo (Akld) 64.96m 1, Jack Beatson (Wgtn) 46.68m 2, Rizvan Caukwell (Akld) 43.98m 3.

Long jump: Nic Forster (Cant) 6.89m 1, Matt Walsh (Cant) 6.84m 2, Lewis Arthur (Akld) 6.68m 3.

High jump: Teaue Teihotaata (Tahiti) 1.93m 1, Gerard Hickey (Wgtn) 1.88m 2, Tevita Finau (WaikBoP) 1.88m 3, Josh Inger (Akld) 1.88m 4.

Under 18:

100m: Dominic Overend (Akld) 11.08s 1, Jacob Stockwell (Tar) 11.22s 2, Mogammad Smith (Akld) 11.27s 3.

3000m: Liam Back (Manwtu/Wang) 8m 35.11s 1, Murdoch McIntyre (Akld) 8m 40.79s 2, Drew Cairney (Otago) 8m 48.39s 3.

3000m race walk: Daniel Du Toit (Wgtn) 15m 27.27s 1, Braydyn Popow (Manwtu/Wang) 17m 19.69s 2.

Discus throw: Connor Bell (Akld) 61.73m 1, Sean Howe (Wgtn) 50.42m 2, Nikolas Kini (Nthld) 49.86m 3.

Long jump: Sam Colyer (Sthld) 6.72m 1, Roderick Solo (Wgtn) 6.69m 2, Cody House (Cant) 6.67m 3.

Pole vault: Edward Hsing (Cant) 3.70m 1, Joshua Bull (Cant) 2.98m 2.

Women

Senior:

100m: Zoe Hobbs (Akld) 11.66s 1, Olivia Eaton (Tar) 11.90s 2, Livvy Wilson (Akld) 12.10s 3.

5000m: Olivia Burne (Akld) 16m 19.10s 1, Lydia ODonnell (Akld) 16m 27.94s 2, Penny Peskett (Akld) 17m 3.35s 3.

3000m race walk: Rozie Robinson (Cant) 14m 55.99s 1, Corinne Smith (Nthld) 15m 36.44s 2.

Shot put: Dame Valerie Adams (Akld) 17.83m 1, Maddison Wesche (Akld) 16.94m 2, Victoria Owers (Cant) 16.42m 3.

Discus throw: Siositina Hakeai (Akld) 57.31m 1, Sabina Asenjo-Alvarez (Spain) 55.24m 2, Te Rina Keenan (Akld) 53.38m 3, Lauren Bruce (Cant) 48.50m 4.

Under 20:

100m: Lucy Sheat (Tas) 12.08s 1, Anna Hayward (Cant) 12.36s 2, Leah Belfield (WaikBoP0 12.45s 3.

5000m: Phoebe McKnight (Wgtn) 17m 00.38s 1, Navajo Prentice (Cant) 17m 36.50s 3.

Shot put: Wesche 15.50m 1, Mellata Tatola (Akld) 12.55m 2, Emma Ryan (Sthld) 11.41m 3.

Javelin throw: Caitlin Bonne (Cant) 41.70m 1, Jessica Senior (Sthld) 40.22m 2, Savannah Scheen (Akld) 38.23m 3.

Long jump: Ashleigh Bennett (Tar) 5.90m 1, Briana Stephenson (HBG) 5.75m 2, Tegan Duffy (Cant) 5.70m 3.

Under 18:

100m: Genna Maples (Manwtu/Wang) 12.34s 1, Maia Broughton (Cant) 12.51s 2, Hinewai Knowles (WaikBoP) 12.64s 3.

3000m: Hannah OConnor (Tar) 9m 44.18s 1, Aimee Ferguson (WaikBoP) 9m 55.42s 2, Liliana Braun (Cant) 10m 13.54s 3.

3000m race walk: Arnika Nelson (Intl) 16m 11.17s 1, Alice Ritchie (Cant) 17m 15.03s 2, Hannah Gilberd (Tar) 18m 3.08s 3, Laura Kehely (Tar) 18m 35.41s 4.

Javelin throw: Jessica Senior (Sthld) 40.38m 1, Savannah Scheen (Akld) 39.58m 2, Kayla Goodwin (WaikBoP) 31.09m 3.

Long jump: Kayla Goodwin (WaikBoP) 5.66m 1, Maples 5.56m 2, Lisa Putt (Akld) 5.49m 3.

High jump: Josephine Reeves (Wgtn) 1.73m 1, Katie-Lee Roper (WaikBoP) 1.70m 2, Maddie Wilson (HBG) 1.66m 3.

Pole vault: Aria Rhodes (Akld) 3.46m 1, Hannah Adye (Akld) 3.46m 2, Isabella Brown (Akld) 3.16m 3.

Para Athletes

Men

100m: Ethan Rangi (Akld) 12.86s 1, Keegan Pitcher (Akld) 12.97s 2, Brayden Davidson (Intl) 13.20s 3.

Long jump: Brayden Davidson (Intl) 5.33m 1, William Stedman (Cant) 5.10m 2, Mitch Joynt (Akld) 4.57m 3.

Women

100m: Danielle Aitchison (WaikBoP) 15.20s 1, Libby Leikis (Wgtn) 15.58s 2, Anna Steven (Akld) 15.82s 3.

Shot put: Lisa Adams (WaikBoP) 9.88m 1, Caitlin Dore (Otago) 8.71m 2, Tayla Clement (Akld) 7.50m 3.

Javelin throw: Holly Robinson (Otago) 42.33m 1, Caitlin Dore (Otago) 21.87m 2, Amy Dunn (WaikBoP) 9.62m 3.

Long jump: Anna Steven (Akld) 3.75m 1, Danielle Aitchison (WaikBoP) 3.23m 2, Alyssa Baxter (Akld) 2.19m 3.

Full Day 1 results

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Athletics New Zealand