Athletics NZ Media weekly roundup 27 March 2017

QUEENSTOWN

Athletics New Zealand Mountain Running Championships, Ben Lomond - 25 March 2017

For the third year in a row Jack Beaumont has excelled at the New Zealand mountain running championships. Following victories in the junior championship for the past two years the 19 year old from Winton took out the senior title with a convincing performance covering the up and down 11.8km in 1:01:31, heading in Matthew Battley of Glen Eden by five minutes. Niam Macdonald of Wellington Scottish was third in 1:10:19.

Beaumont said it was a pretty tough outing.

"The race went exactly to plan. I took it out hard and they couldnt keep up with me on the up hills and I just had to grind away on the last lap," he said.

"All the training has paid off and Im pretty happy with the result," he added.

It has been a successful two weeks for Beaumont having won the senior 3000m steeplechase title in Hamilton last week. The accomplished mountain runner was ninth at the world junior championship in Bulgaria last year and his latest effort has qualified him for the world senior championship in Premana Italy in July.

Sabrina Grogan from Hill City University club in Dunedin was issued race number one and that is where the 23 year old finished collecting the senior womens title in 1:16:10 for the 11.8km. Grogan was also five minutes clear of second placing Tania McWilliams of Canterbury. Sharon Lequeux of Leith Harriers Dunedin was third in 1:26:36.

World junior championship representatives last year Sophie Smith and Emerson Deverell, who was defending her under 20 title, continued their rivalry in the women under 20 championship over 5.6km. Smith from Nelson had the strength over the closing stages winning by 43 seconds in 35:23. The 2015 champion Hunta Sutherland of Nelson was third.

The Wairarapa pair of Hugh ODonoghue and Jacob Karam collected the medals in the under 20 mens 9km, ODonoghue winning by 15 minutes in 60:10.

Daniel Clendon of Wellington was the best in the masters 35-49 in 1:07:51, 35 seconds ahead of Stephen Day, Robbie Barnes of Nelson won the 50 plus, Kerry Semmens of Nelson the master women 35-49 and Bridget Ray of Hamilton the 50 plus.

AUSTRALIA

Australian Track and Field Championships, Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre - 26 March/2 April 2017

26 March: Connor Bell set a New Zealand under 17 and under 18 record of 63.93m with the 1.5kg discus in winning the under 18 discus throw. The 15 year old broke Jacko Gills records of 62.05m set in August 2011. Imogen Ayris won the under 18 pole vault equalling her PB of 4.00m. Ashleigh Bennett U/20 LJ 5.67m (+1.7) (5). Atipa Mabonga U/20 LJ 5.54m (+2.1) (6). Mellata Tatola U/18 3kg HT 53.85m (3). Tatiana Kaumoana U/18 3kg HT 45.99m (9). Caitlin Bonne U/20 JT 39.33m PB (5). Aimee-Leigh Scott U/17 HT 44.82m (7). Jack Lewer F20 PA DT 28.04 (3). Felix McDonald U/20 LJ 6.92m (-1.2) (11). Kamal Patwalia U/20 LJ 6.81m (+1.1) (16). Christopher Goodwin U/20 LJ 6.78m (+0.9) (18). Hamish Mears U/17 SP 14.75m (3).

Buffalo Stampede, Howitt Park, Bright, Victoria, 25 March 75km off-road: Sam McCutcheon (Wellington Scottish) won by a wide margin of 40 minutes in 8:22:23. 26 March 42.2km downhill off-road Vajin Armstrong (University of Canterbury) won by seven minutes in 4:03:04. Armstrong has won this race three times, twice up hill and now on the downhill course.

USA

Cougar Spring Break, Houston TX, 16 March: Ben Collerton LJ 6.58m (+5.1) (5) also 6.29m (-0.2), 1.75kg DT 41.60m PB (13).

UCG Black and Gold Challenge, Orlando FL, 17 March: Rebekah Greene 800m 2:09.00 (2). Caitlin McQuilkin-Bell 3000m steeplechase 11:35.25 (9).

Jerry Quiller Classic, Boulder CO, 17 March: Daniel Hintz 800m 1:56.22 (1R2). Kerry White 1500m 4:50.08 (7).

Tulsa Duels, Tulsa OK, 18 March: Bailey Stewart 400m 47.79 (1).

TCU Invitational, Fort Worth TX, 18 March: Craig Lautenslager 800m 1:52.85 (1) PB.

Stan Lyons, Indianapolis IN, 18 March: Jacob Priddey 1500m 3:57.71 (5R1).

Jaguar Classic, Mobile AL, 18 March: Luke Fielding 800m 1:56.87 (6R1), 1500m 4:00.13 PB (6).

Los Angeles Marathon, 19 March: Xaviour Walker 2:39:37 (28), 2nd 35-39.

WELLINGTON

Athletics Wellington Grand Prix Meeting, Newtown Park - 25 March 2017

Saravee Sos 100m 11.53 (+0.3), 200m 23.22 (+0.2), 400m 52.58. Jonty Morison 100m 11.74, 200m 22.96. Mikael Starzynski 400m 50.98. Andrea Peat 1500m 4:53.91 mx. Joel Carman 1500m 4:04.21 PB. Rowan Hooper 3000m 9:09.31. Andrew Wharton 3000m 9:09.37. Jessica Hughes W14 3000m 9:59.53 mx. Oliver Barrass 300m H 46.50. Lili Szabo 300m H 48.18. Tim Robinson 700g JT 50.43m. Montaya Wharehinga 4kg HT 50.64. Sean Lake 3000m RW 16:20.57. Peter Baillie 3000m TW 16:51.90.

A PERMANENT TRIBUTE TO SIR JOHN WALKER

A statue of Sir John Walker, the first runner to run a sub three minute 50 second mile and the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games 1500m gold medallist, is to be erected in Manurewa Auckland.

Walkers long-time friend Graeme Douglas said that the idea was kindled after attending a John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams function and he, Dave Sirl and Keith MacKinlay decided that Johns gold medal effort in Montreal in 1976 needed to be permanently acknowledged with a statue in his home town of Manurewa.

"There are many people doing great things in Manurewa and we trust that Johns statue will be an inspiration for the youth of the district and a must see for any visitor to Auckland," said Douglas.

It was a shock to John when advised that they were doing a statue of him.

"It came as a big shock to me because normally you are dead and then they do a bronze statue of you, I hope its not an oman. It is however pretty humbling," said Walker.

His winning profile at the Montreal Olympics will be cast in bronze to match the statues of New Zealands other Olympic 1500m gold medallists Jack Lovelock in Timaru and Sir Peter Snell in Opunaki and Wanganui.

"Its appropriate that it will be in Manurewa where I was brought up went to school here and ran for the Manurewa Athletic Club. I hope this is a legacy for kids to say to each other when they look up at the statue if he could do it so could I," said Walker.

Joanne Sullivan, whose previous works include the magnificent statue of the 1930 Melbourne Cup winner racehorse Phar Lap and jockey Jim Pike outside the Washdyke Racecourse in Timaru, has been commissioned to commence the project which will take 12 months to complete. The statue will be on the corner of Great South and Station Roads in the Manurewa Town Centre.

Sullivan said that the most important thing in the sculptor is to capture the essence of the agony and ecstasy of that moment of crossing the line.

"Where your physical complete being is into it but the ecstasy that goes with that and that is what Id like to bring to life and if Ive done that Ive done my job," said Sullivan.

Armin Lindenberg, a trustee of Walker's Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation, said the bronze statue will cost about $160,000.

About $150,000 has been raised so far and the project is funded by The Sir John Walker Legacy Trust and private donors.

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