Athletics NZ weekly round-up 14 August 2017

UNITED KINGDOM

IAAF World Athletic Championships, London - 4/13 August 2017

7 August: Joseph Millar found it tough going in the heats of the 200m.

Drawn in lane two in the sixth of seven heats where the first three and next three fastest advanced to the semi-finals Millar started well but could not hold on down the straight finishing sixth in 20.97. His heat was won by Isiah Young of USA in 21.19.

The New Zealand champion who clocked 20.37 in winning the title in March said that he felt very tired.

"Im not too sure whether it is a result of racing the 100m. The last couple of days Ive struggled with a bit of sleep. I felt really good today warming up, a little bit tired but put that down as a bit of nerves.

"Im not quite sure what really happened out there today, just didnt feel like I was myself," said Millar.

He added that he would have preferred a better lane draw.

"The inside lane is obviously not the best there are better lanes through the middle, but Im usually quite a good bend runner so it doesnt usually bother me.

"I moved well on the bend and as I came on to the straight I felt very light headed so Im not quite sure what happened then, just hoping it was a bad day."

Coming from the Southern Hemisphere was something that takes some adjustment.

"Its a dream come true to come and race here, obviously its a difficult turn around to come from a New Zealand summer, Ive been thinking about it a lot and how it affects me and there is no real template because all the Northern Hemisphere athletes basically have it aligning with what they are doing already," said Millar.

"Im still finding my feet and figuring out how to train to come to one of these and perform, I guess Ive figured out one way not to, but Im still learning and the Commonwealth Games they are going to have to come into our turf so well see how they handle it."

"Ive still got more to come with world unis in the next couple of weeks. Im a little bit disappointed in myself but its just part of the experience," he added.

10 August: Although feeling sluggish Nick Wills made it comfortably through to the semi-finals of the 1500m.

Racing in the second of three heats and needing to finish in the first six or the next six fastest times Wills finished fifth in 3:42.75 and 16th out of the 18 who qualified.

"It felt really comfortable, my wife said its going to feel rusty the first race, but I said dont worry I feel amazing. But I really tried to back off from my warm up and not do too much to get excited as the biggest challenge is getting into the race and theres less than 24 hours before turn around to the semi-final," said a relaxed Willis.

"All that mattered was getting through using as little possible energy.

"I felt a little sluggish but not tired from working too hard, as much as it is to get out of third gear.

"There werent as many guys challenging in the home straight as I thought there might be, so that was fortunate.

"I expected Robby Andrews and Ryan Gregson to come flying by but they didnt and I was able to jog it in the last 30 metres without having to fight to the line," said Willis.

The 34 year old is attending his sixth World Championships and although he has won gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, and a silver in 2008 and a bronze last year in Rio at the Olympic Games but never won a medal at a World Championships. He made the semi-final in 2005, was tenth in 2007, 12th in 2011, reached the semi-final in 2013 and in Beijing in

2015 was sixth.

Angie Petty missed out by three hundredths of a second in making it to the semi-finals of the 800m after finishing fourth in the third of six heats.

Competing at her third World Championships and requiring to finish in the first three or the next six fastest times Petty clocked 2:01.76.

The national champion for the last six years and gold medallist at the

2015 World University Games in a personal best 1:59.06 said she was disappointed with her performance.

"I should have been running way better than that 2:01. But it was the way it was run maybe I didnt position myself really well. I hung on Caster (Semenya) on the first lap, I thought I would go past her but then I might die but when I saw it was only sixty at the bell then I was like well I probably shouldve done.

"I go through in 58 fine, but then I didnt seem to have it in that last 100m it just felt a weird race I just didnt get going properly but I still gave it everything in the last 100m but it just didnt feel like I was as sharp as I was hoping," said Petty. Semenya won Pettys heat in 2:01.33.

Camille Buscomb gave it everything in the heats of the 5000m following her disappointment in the 10,000m five days earlier but after leading for the first four laps drifted to the rear when the pace went on after 3000m.

Needing to finish in the first five or the next five fastest times Buscomb had to be satisfied with 16th place in 15:40.41. Overall she was 30th from the two heats.

The twenty seven year old, three times New Zealand 5000m champion, from Hamilton, has a personal best of 15:19.81 from two months ago in the Netherlands.

Buscomb said she wanted to be in a position to have a chance over the second half.

"I wasnt intending on leading but I wanted to be in a position near the front because I just knew that was really my only chance to feel good and part of it and I thought maybe I could have hung on as long as possible.

"And thats what I did I just hung on but I didnt have it," she said.

Buscomb said that she put a lot of work in to get to the championships.

"I wasnt at the level to qualify for the championships so I had to push as much as I could early on in the season to get to the next level and it is hard to maintain that level without having a bit of a lull.

"My legs have been pretty heavy for the last couple of months with all the training has definitely taken a toll on my body at the moment.

"Im not feeling super amazing at the moment. Ive made big jumps early on in the season and its really hard to hold through," she said.

In his debut at a World Athletic Championship Benjamin Langton Burnell was happy with his throw of 76.46m in the javelin despite not making it through to the final.

The current New Zealand champion, having taken over the mantle from training partner and mentor Stuart Farquhar has a personal best throw of 82.44m in Hamilton in June before he went on to win the Oceania title in Suva Fiji. The qualifying distance was 83.00m and thirteen achieved this for the final, Johannes Vetter of Germany having the best throw of 91.20m. Langton Burnell was 24th out of 31.

The 24 year old from Palmerston North, but based in Hamilton, said it was good fun and he had a hell of a good time.

"I absolutely loved it fantastic crowd, fantastic venue it was a lot of fun and I cant wait for the future championships.

"I didnt quite connect the 76 metre throw, how I was wanting to but it was good to get out and experience that in my first championships.

"The technical model that didnt quite hold and I have a lot of things to work on which is good.

"My left leg wasnt holding so I was collapsing my blocks so it was hard to put the power into the javelin," said Langton Burnell.

He is off to the World University Games in two weeks-time and then hell aim for the Commonwealth Games.

11 August: Nick Willis went a step closer to finally medalling at a World Championships just sneaking into the final of the 1500m after claiming one of the two fastest times.

The Olympic Games silver and bronze medallist and 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medallist drew the second semi-final and needed to finish in the first five or run faster than 3:40.76, the sixth placing in the first semi-final.

Willis went untraditionally into sixth place from the start instead of his normal position at the rear and coming through over the final 300m.

He was fourth at the 800m in 2:01.00 and with a lap to go was third.

Down the home straight he was still in contention of a top five placing only to be passed by Chris Hare of Great Britain and Fouad Elkaam of Morocco to finish sixth in 3:38.68.

Jakub Holusa of the Czech Republic won the semi in 3:38.05.

Willis said that he lived to fight another day.

"It didnt feel great, I think Ill enjoy having an extra days rest before the final," said Willis rushing through the mixed zone.

Asked why he seemed to ease up going towards the finish.

"I just felt a bit over extended and I was trying to relax but then a whole bunch of guys were coming. I knew seven would get through from our semi but suddenly with 50m to go I could sense a big rush of guys coming and I just didnt quite have that extra gear so I had to muscle it in.

But Im in and hopefully that extra days rest will help.

"Hopefully Ill bounce back pretty good for the final.

"The idea is that Im improving every race because its early season for me, so thats what Im going to hang on to and Ill be giving everything I can for a medal, whether I can or not well have to wait and see but thats why Im in the final to give it a shot," he said.

13 August: Quentin Rew in his own inimitable style of moving through the field over the second half was rewarded with 12th placing in the 50km race walk in a New Zealand national record of 3:46:29.

Rew said that technically it was not his best race.

"I was on warnings from almost all the judges and one more red card and I was out. Technically I was pretty boarder line.

"The warnings were coming pretty steadily through the race, one red card between 10k and 15k and the second red card on the last lap. Obviously with fatigue and trying to pick up places on the last lap and I was pushing it hard but not too hard," he said.

The 33 year old, attending his fourth World Championships was 29th at 5km and 27th at 10km passed in 45:50.

"It was a strange race usually in races like this there is a fairly big group that are walking between 4:30 and 4:35 and basically I was by myself the whole race. I knew there were about 25 guys that took off at

3:45 pace and I knew they werent all going to do 3:45 so I had to just keep reminding myself to be patient because people did come back and I knew that some would come back and the race for me was putting myself in a good position so when they did come back I could take advantage of that."

That was certainly the case as Rew improved to 25th at 20km and 22nd by 30km. Also his pace was going up a notch for each 10k split, the split to 30km being 45:18.

By 45km Rew was looking relaxed as he advanced up to 18th place and ready to take advantage of those who went out too fast.

"The last 5km was when they started to come back and even on the last 2km lap I picked up three to four places.

"The plan was to try and walk consistently, I didnt go outrageously quickly in the last 5k it was just that other people were going backwards so it was taking advantage of that."

Rew had his own cheer group of University mates present to encourage him on his way.

"Theyre a good bunch of New Zealanders living in London and I was really lucky to have a few friends spread out along the course yelling on and certainly in those closing stages when everything starts getting pretty tired its really cool having the New Zealand flag flying and people cheering," said Rew.

He cut out the final 5km in 22:23 crossing to finish line to then go down and do a couple of press ups before being helped to the medical tent to recover.

"My legs were tired at the end but I still had a little bit of energy in the arms to stand in solidarity with Isaac Makwala who I think got a really rough deal in these championships so I just tried to emulate him."

Rew broke Craig Barretts national record of 3:48:04 set in New Plymouth in 2001.

"I knew I was on pace to break the national record, fairly early on, I was walking about 4:30 per k over the last 30k and I knew if I could keep that up then the national record would go.

"Thats certainly the strongest Ive finished in any 50k, so Im pretty happy to get Craigs national record at last."

Nick Willis was not too disheartened in not coming away with a medal in the final of the 1500m.

The Olympic silver and bronze medallist over the distance took up third to last from the start allowing Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot to force a solid pace out front.

When the pressure went on with a lap to run Willis was unable to move up to be within striking distance of a medal down the finishing straight.

He finished eighth in 3:36.82. Elijah Manangoi of Kenya who has a seasons best of 3:28.80, won in 3:33.61, from Cheruiyot 3:33.99 and Norways Filip Ingebrigtsen 3:34.53.

Willis said coming into the Championships he was positive that he had a shot at a medal.

"Im surprisingly pleased and happy, eighth in the world off a ten weeks training, I cant really complain with that. Those guys beat me by six seconds in Monaco, three seconds today so the improvements happening but obviously not enough time. I picked up some pretty bad shin splits at the end of March and I tried to keep training through them. Id run two days have to take four days off with aqua jogging. And I got away with a couple of okay workouts and I won the Boston road mile and then I ran the mile in Minneapolis off three weeks of cross training. It was only in June that I got back to regular jogging and I didnt start work outs till the last weekend in June.

Willis said that even if he had been further up the field he wouldnt have had his usual finishing kick.

"Even if Im up there and got no finish, Ive got to try and stay in contention but have something left for the last 200m but the other guys were much too good today."

Willis then dropped a bombshell.

"I havent told anyone publicly this is the first time but six weeks after the Rio Olympics I had surgery on a sports hernia double release on my adductors.

"I spun it that I needed to take three months off for a break as I really didnt want meet directors to know that I was going under the knife and I might miss out on appearance fees the following year.

"That probably played a role in the following injuries after that but now Im fully healthy and still improving I wasnt up with the top guys but Im positive about it.

Nick said that he is looking forward to the challenge of the 5000m.

"Ill get a really good training base in over October, November, December before the Commonwealth Games in April."

JAPAN

Kyushu Kyoritsu, Fukuoka - 12 August 2017

100m: 1 Josh Hawkins 10.77 (+2.3), 1 Zoe Hobbs 11.83 (0.0). 200m: 1 Zoe Hobbs 24.31 (-1.7). 1500m: 1 Hannah Miller 4:34.68.

110 hurdles: 1 Josh Hawkins 14.33 (-1.7), 3 Aaron Booth 15.61 PB. High Jump: 2 Hamish Kerr 2.07. Pole Vault: 1 Aaron Booth 4.40m PB. Discus: 1 Aaron Booth 38.46.

AUCKLAND

Athletics Auckland Road Championships, Bruce Pulman Park Papakura - 13 August 2017

Jono Jackson won the senior 10km in 33:30, half a minute ahead of Harry Linford. Aaron Jackson was third in 34:09. Steve Rees-Jones from Cambridge was the fastest in the masters10km in 34:05 from Rick Tombling

34:45 and Paul Crowhurst 34:48. Esther Keown won the womens 10km in 38:37. Alana Lythe was second in 40:46 with Anna Bramley third in 41:13.

Anna McRae won the masters 5km in 20:10, Namiko Kelly was second in

21:37 and Georgina Hammond third in 21:42. The U/20 men 8km went to Theo Quax in 26:43, eight seconds ahead of Andrew Catley with Jono Ansley third. Alyssa Bullot won the U/20 5km in 19:47. Under 18 winners Ryan Church 6km 20:44 and Anna Faulkner 5km 19:29. Joanna Poland won the U/15 4km in 15:10 and Zane Powell the U/15 4km in 14:03.

NEW PLYMOUTH

Athletics Taranaki Road Championships - 12 August 2017

The senior mens 10km was won by Robbie Rawles in a time of 34:29 followed by Nathan Foley 35:59 and Jason Cressingham 40:14. Kirstin Foley won the overall master womens race (5km) in 20:38 with Karen Gillum-Green 24:35 and Diane Kowalewski 25:17. The master mens 10km race saw Richard Brewer 42:05 lead Jason Reid 43:26 and Allan Thomas

47:17 in, while the over 65s 5km race was won by Murray Laird 21:46.

The master womens A grade walk (10km) was won by Serena Coombes 1:01:46 from Anne Fraser 1:09:04 and Vicky Jones 1:11:57, while the master mens A grade walk (10km) saw Eric Kemsley 54:28 lead in Rodney Gillum 56:52 and Ross Allen 58:44. Laura Kehely under 18 womens A grade walk (5km) with a time of 29:19.

Angus White won the U20 mens race (8km) in 26:39 while Max Erkes 20:41 lead Jack Elliot 22:50 in the U18 mens race (6km). The U18 womens race

(5km) was won by Tessa Honeyfield 22:18 over Dana Phelen 22:45 and Holly Sutherland 24:28. Finally, Jess Camden 13:39 just held out Lucy Elliot

13:45 in the U15 womens race (3km) while Max Rowe won the U15 mens race (3km) in 10:01 with Niall Clancy 10:51 just holding out Robbie White 10:55 for second place.

WELLINGTON

50th Bays Relay - 12 August 2017

Scottish won the senior men, senior women, Master men 40 plus and the 50 plus. Wellington Harrier Athletic Club won the master women, junior men and women and the master men 60 plus.

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