Eight sprinters are vying to become possibly the fastest New Zealand woman in track and field athletics history in Hastings on Saturday.
The field for the elite women's 100 metres at the Potts Classic at the Mitre 10 Sports Park comprises the fastest eight in New Zealand, headed by Zoe Hobbs, who dashed a New Zealand record 11.27sec in Auckland on December 18.
But not far away is Hawke's Bay's own Georgia Hulls who ran her three best times within a few weeks at the end of 2021, including a best-ever 11.44sec, also in Auckland on December 18.
Meeting organiser Richard Potts, son of the late Alan and Sylvia Potts and himself the holder of at least two long-standing national schools and age-group 1500 metres records, said the sprints on Saturday have been timed to make the best of the conditions in Hastings – expected to be light breezes in the evening after a fine day with a maximum temperature of about 25 degrees Celsius.
The meeting, one of four Athletics New Zealand "permitted" meetings this summer and targeted by a growing number Commonwealth Games and World championships hopefuls, and the first of three in the North Island, starts at 3.30pm.
The women's 100m final is scheduled for 6.50pm, and other features include the 3000m national; championships after 7pm.
Potts said for a record to fall, conditions will need to be ideal and any following wind under the allowable limit of 2 metres per second.