Athletics: Barrett on verge of record

Craig Barrett should walk his way closer to the greatest number of New Zealand men's athletic titles at the national championships in Wanganui this weekend.

The Hamilton 33-year-old has 28 national titles won over a range of walking distances, starting with the 1993 30km title in Wellington.

Barrett has entered the 3000m track walk and the 20km road walking event.

A win in these will take Barrett to within one title of the 31 held by Peter Munro, a thrower from Wellington during the 1920s.

Munro holds the most by a male athlete, with Val Young of Canterbury holding the most overall, with 37 titles amassed in the discus, shot put and pentathlon during the 1960's, 70's and 80's.

Barrett has also won 11 silver and two bronze medals at national championships.

"Titles are really important, and I am proud of them. After all the highs and lows I have stuck in there all these years ," Barrett said.

Last weekend in Taranaki, as a lead up to the championships, Barrett walked the mountain to surf marathon distance in three hours 12 minutes two seconds.

He will compete in the Australian 50km road walking trial in Melbourne on May 1, on the course that will be used for next year's Commonwealth Games, in a bid to make the world championships in Helsinki in August.

Beatrice Faumuina will be chasing her 12th national discus throw title.

Faumuina has also won four shot put titles although Valerie Vili (nee Adams) should make it five in a row in that discipline this weekend.

With her 19.00m performance at the Australian championships last weekend in Sydney, Vili now has the top six performances in the world outdoors this year.

Jane Arnott should again dominate the women's 400m and a win will take her to nine consecutive titles.

Melissa Moon fresh from her cross country race in Japan last weekend, has entered in the 1500m and 5000m. Moon has a total of 19 New Zealand titles, and is a previous winner of the 1500m in 1998 and the 5000m in 1999 and 2001.

Melina Hamilton should scale her way to her tenth pole vault title, an event that has only been on the programme since 1992.

Phillip Jensen will be after his eighth hammer throw title in a row and his tenth overall.

However, Patrick Hellier, national champion in 1992, 93 and 94, has been throwing well this season and should make it a close competition.

Paul Hamblyn, New Zealand's latest sub four minute miler, will be chasing his third 1500m crown title in a row. He has also entered the 800m.

Others lining up for three in a row, will be Kim Hogarth in the 3000m steeplechase, James Mortimer in the 110m hurdles, Shaka Sola in the discus, Stuart Farquhar in the javelin throw, Jane Arnott in the 200m, Dallas Roberts in the 200m and Angela McKee in the high jump.

Chantal Brunner should make it title number eight in the long jump, number five in the 100m as well as defend her triple jump title.

Craig Bearda fresh from his successful competition in the Australian championships will be up against Chris Donaldson, David Falealili, James Dolphin and Roberts in the 100m and 200m.

Donald MacDonald, national 100m champion for the last two years, has entered but an injury is likely to prevent him competing.

- NZPA