Athletics NZ weekly round-up 29 May 2017

AUCKLAND

Athletics Auckland Grand Prix Cross Country, Lloyd Elsmore Park Pakuranga - 27 May 2017

Peter Wheeler bronze medallist in the 1500m at the national championship in March, won the annual Pakuranga 10km cross country event in 34:44. He had a strong finish to be 13 seconds clear of Harry Linford with Greg Darbyshire third in 35:03.

"Im just starting to build up so not too fit at the moment, so it was good to get a win today but I didnt have Jono (Jackson) here obviously so it was too tough out there and I came through on the last lap," said Wheeler.

"Im aiming for the nationals and try and improve on last year," he added.

In the national championship last year Wheeler was fourth.

Katie Wright was solid throughout the womens 10km, mastering the muddy course well over the final lap to win in 39:58.

Olivia Burne, who is running the half marathon in Christchurch on Sunday and led over the first four laps was second in 40:05.

"I was strong until the final lap and then something just seemed to cross me over to the dark side and Katie passed me on the final lap.

Audrey Gregan was third in 40:35.

Nick Moore was the best of the masters over 8km in 29:26. Fiona Love won the master women 6km in 25:00, Ainsley Thorpe the U/20 women in 25:21 and Anna Faulkner the U/18 4km in 17:31.

Joseph Clark won the under 20 8km in 27:15 from Murdoch McIntyre and Stuart Hofmeyr just held on to win the under 18 6km in 23:25 from George Carr-Smith. Under 15 winner were Zane Powell and Joanna Poland.

Winter Throws Competition, AUT Millennium Stadium - 27 May 2017

Anthony Nobilio 6kg HT 58.68m, 7.26kg HT 50.01m. Isaac Vaeau Mulitalo 5kg HT 40.26m, 6kg HT 36.13m PB. Jayden Williamson 4kg HT 48.61m PB, 1.25kg DT 42.26m PB. Mellata Tatola 4kg HT 47.72m, 1kg DT 40.15m PB. Rizvan Caukwell 6kg HT 40.37m, 7.26kg HT 36.26m PB.

TAURANGA

Tauranga Open Cross Country, Waipuna Park - 27 May 2017

Sally Gibbs won the senior womens 4043m in 16:25, ten seconds ahead of Sarah Gardner with Malesa McNearney third in 16:55. Charlotte Bartrum won the master women in 20:33. Jai Davies-Campbell was a clear winner of the senior men 7912m in 28:23 from Regan Bones 30:00 and Jack Montgomery 32:16. The under 18 5978m went to Sam Montgomery in 21:50 and the masters men over the same distance to Adrian Lysaght in 31:59. Emerson Deverell led in the U/20 women over 4043m in 15:54 from Grace Ritchie 16:14. Aimee Ferguson won the under 18 in 16:10.

INGLEWOOD

Athletics Taranaki Awards, TET Stadium & Events Centre, 18 May: Hannah OConnor was awarded the junior female of the year and also received the Stan Lay award. Matt Baxter senior male award, Olivia Eaton senior female, Angus White junior male, Eric Kemsley male masters, Karen Gillum-Green female masters and coach of the year, MacCallum Rowe boys 7-14, Faith Araba girls 7-14, Meredith Bennett volunteer, Cody Wilson most promising male and Letisha Pukaikia most promising female.

WELLINGTON

Ekiden Walking Relay, Trentham - 20 May 2017

Alex Brown from Dunedin for the Composite South Island Team lead from the start in the A division and his 43:08 (6.00/km for 7.195 km) in the rain was not enough to hold off Eric Kemsley of Taranaki on lap two. Rozie Robinson did 50:20 to overtake Peter Fox. She was 2:12 faster than Laura Langley on this lap. Then Graeme Jones of Hawkes Bay/Manawatu/Wanganui did 38:52 (7.5 km) to give them the lead. The South Island finished off with Jamie Shaw, now at Otago University, doing the last two 5 km legs as a 10 km in 48:54 completed a big victory in 4:01:06 over Taranaki in 4:18:57 and the fast finishing Racewalking Auckland in 4:23:08. Alana Barbers 10 km for Auckland was the fastest of the day in 45:15. South Island took the Ekiden Trophy but Taranaki won the RWNZ Championship from Racewalking Auckland and Trentham.

A junior relay of 14 and under was also held with each walker completing a 1.25 km lap and then after all four had done one they all did a second one for a race total of 10 km. Seven teams started, Egmont from Taranaki led from the start winning in 1:05:32 with Laura Kehely showing her experience with the fastest junior lap of 6:51, (5:48/km for 1.250 km). Manawatu Hawked Bay was second in 1:09:24 and Mana of Wellington third in 1:12:12.

DUNEDIN

Otago Sports Awards, Dunedin Town Hall - 19 May 2017

Raylene Bates was a popular winner of the Otago Community Trust Coach of the Year award. The throwing coach for the Paralympics had a great record in Rio with the highlight of Holly Robinson taking silver in the F46 javelin. Raylene did not only perform her role as coach at Rio but was the manager of the team also; a true Otago star and a deserving winner of this award.

Anna Grimaldi won the Mercy Hospital Junior Sportswoman of the Year award. The gold medallist in the long jump from the Rio Paralympics did not only win the gold but did so with a personal best on the day, to make sure of the victory.

USA

IAAF Diamond League, Prefontaine Classic, Hayward Field Eugene OR, 27 May: Tom Walsh finished second in the shot put for the second year in a row with 21.71m. Rio Olympic champion Ryan Crouser of USA won with a meet record of 22.43m, breaking Christian Cantwells 2010 mark of 22.41m. Joe Kovacs Rio silver medallist was third with 21.44m. Walsh was sixth in 2014 with 20.51m, fourth in 2015 with 20.81m and second last year with 20.84m. His series on Saturday was 21.71, F, 21.62, 21.20, 21.48, F.

NCAA West, Austin TX, 25 May: Matt Baxter 10,000m 29:54.34 (5). Craig Lautenslager 10,000m 30:11.26 (13). Grace McConnochie 10,000m 34:46.57 (9). Bailey Stewart 400m 47.96 (6H10. Kerry White 800m 2:10.49 (7H3). 26 May: George Beamish 1500m 4:03.46 (10H4). 27 May: Craig Lautenslager 5000m 14:20.26 (6H1), Matt Baxter 5000m 14:24.66 (8H1), Olivia Burdon 5000m 16:43.82 (3H1), Hannah Miller 5000m 16:44.91 (8H2), Greer Alsop TJ 12.55m (+1.1) (29), Torie Owers SP 15.88m (8Q4).

NCAA East, Lexington KY, 25 May: Julia Ratcliffe HT 65.42m (1Q3). Rebekah Greene 1500m 4:28.97 (10H1). 27 May: Julian Oakley 5000m 14:19.20 (5H1).

Pat Young Throwers Classic, Hartnell College Salinas CA, 27 May: Marshall Hall had a massive PB by nearly three metres sending the discus out to 64.55m which has his knocking on the door to the London World Championships where the performance standard is 65.30m. It was exactly 15 years ago at the same venue that Ian Winchester set the New Zealand national record of 65.03m.

BELGIUM

International Flanders Meeting, Oordegem-Lede, 27 May: Cameron French 400m H 50.28 (2). Katherine Camp 800m 2:06.63 (12).

AUSTRALIA

VRWC, Middle Park Melbourne, 20 May: Quentin Rew 12km RW 54:57 (1).

Melbourne Cross Country, Wandin Park, 13 May: Ben Ashkettle 8km 26:55 (6).

OBITUARY

Steeplechase exponent and cross country representative Howard Healey died on Sunday 21 May 2017, aged 68.

Howard and his twin brother Nathan represented New Zealand in the 3000m steeplechase at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games. They were a formidable pair with their long flowing hair and captured the attention of the QEII crowd that day. Nathan finished tenth and Howard eleventh.

Howard went on to finish fifth in the steeplechase at the 1978 Edmonton Commonwealth Games. Howard won the national steeplechase title in 1974 and is ranked eleventh with a time of 8:37.14 on the New Zealand all-time list. He was also an accomplished cross country runner representing New Zealand at three world championships, 1973 in Belgium winning bronze in the teams, 1977 in Germany and 1979 in Ireland.

He had battled Parkinsons disease for the past 25 years and more recently was diagnosed having lymphoma.

Originally from Gisborne, Howard competed for Wellington Scottish and in Auckland, Lynndale, Otahuhu and Onehunga Clubs.

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