Athletics: Hodgkinson shrugs off sickness

By MURRAY McKINNON

Toni Hodgkinson shrugged off the effects of bronchitis to equal her New Zealand resident 800m record 2m 00.83s in a training time trial run at Sovereign Stadium, Mairangi Bay yesterday.

Competing in a combined 1500m race, Hodgkinson followed twice New Zealand 1500m champion Phillip Clode through the first 400m in 58.8s.

The 28-year-old, who will be competing in the 800m and 1500m at the Sydney Olympics, finished full of running.

Hodgkinson ran 4m 9.85s for 1500m in Brisbane, two weeks ago but a chest infection forced her out of a planned 800m race last week.

Her next races will be at the Australian Olympic trials in Sydney this week, with the 1500m on Thursday and the 800m on Saturday.

Clode carried on to complete the 1500m in 3m 49s with Jamie Voss aiming for the world junior championships running 3m 57s.

Glenn Howard went close to a target of 2.25m to clinch his place in the Olympic Games high jump. He cleared 2.20 in his first attempt and just missed on two of his jumps at 2.25m.

New Zealand athletic team performance manager Steve Hollings was pleased and believes Howard can reach 2.25m.

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