Tom Walsh, throwing at the Porritt Classic in Hamilton on Saturday, just days after taking out the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year award, showed his form is on target to defend his World Indoor Championships crown in Birmingham in three weeks.
In his third competition of 2018, the current
World outdoor and indoor champion and the Olympic bronze medallist bettered his New Zealand Resident record with 21.87m, the ninth longest throw of his career and also a meeting record for the Porritt Classic.
Ryan Ballantyne and Nick Palmer, both heading to the World Junior Championships later in the year filled the minor placings throwing 18.84m and 18.04m respectively.
The womens shot put saw Torie Owers throw 16.59 for the win.
Both the mens and womens NZ championship 3000m races were fascinating contests, with Aucklanders Olivia Burne and Peter Wheeler the new titleholders.
The womens race saw Taranaki junior runner Hannah OConnor lead out the first few laps with Burne and Lydia ODonnell sitting right on her shoulder.
ODonnell, a former national 10,000m title holder took up the lead and pushed the pace while Burne, also a multiple NZ champion, followed her lead and OConnor dropped off the pace. Over the last two laps Burne and ODonnell traded the lead several times before Burne made her final push in the home straight to win the title in 9:22.83, 1.03 ahead of ODonnell with OConnor third in 9:36.44.
Ben Moynihan stayed at the front of the large field in the mens 3000m NZ championship race for most of the journey with a big lead bunch following his pace.
After sitting in behind the leaders for much of the race, Oli Chignell flirted with the lead for a bit over the final lap and then Craig Lautenslager went to the front leading into the home straight.
But it was Peter Wheeler from Auckland who had the speed over the last 50m, taking the title in 8:21.66 from Lautenslager (8:22.61) and Kiwi triathlete Ryan Sissons (8:22.74).
New Zealands leading male sprinter Joseph Millar was clear winner in the mens 200m, recording 21.19 into a head wind with Harry Symes and Cody Wilson next to finish.
Millar later took out the 100m final in 10.53 from Joshua Hawkins and Cameron French.
National champion Zoe Hobbs finished first in a competitive womens 100m final in 11.75 from Lucy Sheat and Abby Goldie, while Sheat was the victor over 200m, running 24.10 into a brisk head wind, ahead of Goldie and Livvy Wilson.
Winners over 400m were Alex Haye in the men with 48.44 and Portia Bing in the women with 55.07.
Michael Dawson ran the perfect race in the mens 800m to beat the more fancied James Preston in a personal best 1:50.93. The womens race went to Ariana Harper in 2:12.49 from Krystie Solomon.
High jumpers featured despite the less than ideal condition with Keeley OHagan clearing 1.80m to win the womens event and Hamish Kerr going over 2.14m before missing out at 2.18 which would have been a new personal best.
Siositina Hakeai with 58.32 and Marshall Hall on 54.44 took the wins in the senior discus competitions but it was junior Connor Bell with the best performance in the circle, throwing a New Zealand under 19 record of 57.03, surpassing the 55.54 set by Chris Mene in 1991.
New Zealand sprint hurdles champions Joshua Hawkins and Fiona Morrison had impressive wins in their specialist events. For Hawkins it was a welcome return from a lengthy injury break since he ran at the world University Games in August last year.
Alex Wood went very close to toppling NZ javelin champion Ben Langton Burnell, throwing a personal best by over 2 metres of 73.37m to finish within a metre of his training partner.
Porritt Stadium will see further top action in four weeks time when the Jennian Homes New Zealand Track and Field Championships are held in Hamilton.
Results:
Men
100m: Joseph Millar (Tga) 10.53 1, Joshua Hawkins (Ell) 10.84 2, Cameron French (Ham) 10.85 3.
200m: Millar 21.19 1, Harry Symes (Hast) 22.31 2, Cody Wilson (Tara) 22.43 3.
400m: Alex Haye (Wgtn) 48.44 1, Jacob Matson (Wgtn) 48.78 2, Michael Gutry (Ham) 49.60 3.
800m: Michael Dawson (Wes) 1:50.93 1, James Preston (Wgtn) 1:52.24 2, Hector Farmer (Wgtn) 1:53.55 3.
1500m Boys: William Sinclair (Wang) 4:00.99 1, Liam Back (Wang) 4:03.22 2, Jack Elliott (NPly) 4:04.13 3.
3000m NZ Championship: Peter Wheeler (Akld) 8:21.66 1, Craig Lautenslager (Nel) 8:22.61 2, Ryan Sissons (Pak) 8:22.74 3.
110m hurdles: Hawkins 14.47 1, Daniel Parkes (Pak) 14.88 2, Oliver Parkinson (ACA) 15.14 3.
300m hurdles: Parkes 39.64 1, Oliver OLeary (Wang) 44.18 2, Hamish McGiven (Ham) 45.81 3.
400m hurdles: Oliver Miller (PCh) 55.02 1.
Shot put: Tom Walsh (SCan) 21.87 1 (NZ Resident record), Nathaniel Sulupo (LHut) 15.35 2. 6kg; Ryan Ballantyne (Ham) 18.84 1, Nick Palmer (Hast) 18.04 2.
Discus: Marshall Hall (Inv) 54.44 1, Alexander Parkinson (NHB) 51.54 2, Sulupo 49.67 3. 1.75kg; Connor Bell (NHB) 57.03 (NZ under 19 record).
Hammer: Harpreet Singh (Ham) 50.94 1, Anthony Barmes (NHB) 45.99 2, Rizvan Caukwell (Tak) 36.83 3. 6kg; Nikolas Kini (Whan) 41.00 1.
Javelin : Ben Langton Burnell (PNth) 74.29 1, Alex Wood (Ham) 73.37 2, Cam Robinson (Wgtn) 63.85 3.
Long jump: Jordan Peters (PNth) 7.08 1, Thomas Rawstron (Tga) 7.04 2, Felix McDonald (Tai) 6.81 3.
High jump: Hamish Kerr (PNth) 2.14 1, Sean Pay (Wgtn) 2.00 2, Liam Spear (Wait) 1.95 3.
4 x 100m relay: New Zealand A (Scott Walker, Dominic Overend, Isaac Oliver, Joseph Millar) 41.81 1, NZ Black 41.83 2, NZ Silver 41.94 3.
Women
100m: Zoe Hobbs (NHB) 11.75 1, Lucy Sheat (Marl) 11.95 2, Abby Goldie (Tga) 12.08 3.
200m: Sheat 24.10 1, Goldie 24.74 2, Livvy Wilson (NHB) 25.11 3.
400m: Portia Bing (NHB) 55.07 1, Brooke Cull (Tak) 55.48 2, Sophie Millar (Ham) 57.86 3.
800m: Ariana Harper (Cant) 2:12.49 1, Krystie Solomon (Fran) 2:13.34 2, Maiya Christini (ACA) 2:15.01 3.
1500m Girls: Charli Miller (StPe) 4:37.52s 1, Aimee Ferguson (Roto) 4:37.80s 2, Sam Corbett (TeKu) 4:44.24s 3.
3000m NZ Championship: Olivia Burne (ACA) 9:22.83 1, Lydia ODonnell (NHB) 9:23.86 2, Hannah OConnor (Tara) 9:36.44 3.
80m hurdles: Jorien Fourie (Pak) 12.89 1, Adriana White (Pak) 13.22 2, Katie Corbett (Ham) 13.52 3.
100m hurdles: Fiona Morrison (Chch) 13.95 1, Ashleigh Sando (Ham) 14.84 2, Summer Rutherford (Chch) 15.97 3.
300m hurdles: Olivia Burnham (Chch) 45.83 1, Tara McNally (Tai) 46.26 2, Fourie 47.85 3.
400m hurdles: Bing 58.49s 1.
Shot put: Victoria Owers (Chch) 16.59 1, Lauren Bruce (SCan) 12.78 2, Mellata Tatola (NHB) 12.30 3.
Discus: Siositina Hakeai (ACA) 58.32 1, Te Rina Keenan (Wait) 52.50 2, Bruce 47.08 3.
Hammer: Bruce 57.50 1, Montaya Wharehinga (LHut) 50.29 2, Alana Ryan (Haw) 44.32 3.
Javelin: Stephanie Wrathall (NHB) 49.38 1, Caitlin Bonne (Chch) 37.47 2, Savannah Scheen (NHB) 36.51 3.
Long jump: Kelsey Berryman (Chch) 6.00 1, Ashleigh Bennett (Haw) 5.68 2, Corinna Minko (PNth) 5.66 3.
High jump: Keeley OHagan (Wgtn) 1.80 1, Emma Sutherland (Hast) 1.70 2, Josephine Reeves (LHut) 1.70 3.
4 x 100m relay: New Zealand A (Brooke Somerfield, Abby Goldie, Tamsin Harvey, Amanda Fitisemanu) 46.93 1, New Zealand Silver 48.79 2.
- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Athletics New Zealand
Walsh confirms form at Porritt Classic with Resident record
Tom Walsh, throwing at the Porritt Classic in Hamilton on Saturday, just days after taking out the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year award, showed his form is on target to defend his World Indoor Championships crown in Birmingham in three weeks.
In his third competition of 2018, the current
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