Athletics: McIlroy smashes national record at Papakura

Kate McIlroy

World mountain running champion Kate McIlroy, in her first attempt at the 3000m steeplechase, smashed the New Zealand record at Massey Park, Papakura yesterday - and qualified for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games through the 'side door'.

In a solo run at the Auckland Centre Meeting, leading from start to finish, McIlroy broke Fiona Crombie's New Zealand record by 10 seconds, with her time of 9m 51.39s.

"I'm pretty rapt. To go under the Games standard by 15 seconds and break the New Zealand record as well is a bit of a bonus," said a delighted McIlroy. "I have never done a steeplechase before and only practised the water jump for the first time on Thursday.

"I thought that I would do 10 minutes but I didn't think that I would go that fast," she added.

McIlroy will still try for the 5000m for Melbourne but feels that she probably needs another winter's training to get the standard of 15m 25s.

Chantal Brunner soared out to a season-best long jump of 6.61m. The legal jump compares well with her New Zealand record of 6.65m and national record of 6.68m, setting her up nicely for her fourth Commonwealth Games in March.

Competition is hotting up in the 100m as our leading sprinters vie for a place in the Games relay squad. David Falealili won the 100m in a legal 10.63s from Carl Van der Speck 10.67s and national champion James Dolphin 10.68s. Dolphin also won the 200m, in a time of 21.05s.


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