Athletics: Low numbers, coronavirus, sees Sir Peter Snell International Track Meeting postponed

Cooks Gardens will not see the the NZ Mile Championships contested until January 2021 with the Sir Peter Snell International Track Meeting postponed.

A packed athletics schedule and the fear of the coronavirus has seen Whanganui's attempt to resurrect the first New Zealand Mile Championships in 50 years postponed for at least another 10 months.

Next Saturday, March 14, had been scheduled for the 2020 Sir Peter Snell International Track Meeting at Cooks Gardens, where the first Senior Men's, Women's and Under-20 Men's mile titles would be up for grabs since the 1968-69 season.

Athletics NZ had signed off on the championships returning back in October, after years of lobbying from the likes of Whanganui Sports Heritage Trust co-ordinator Russell Sears and Athletics NZ life member Alec McNab.

However, yesterday Sears confirmed the meeting will now be postponed until January 2021 due to low entry numbers.

"There was a definite reluctance by overseas athletes to travel to New Zealand for this year's event, including a squad of seven Japanese athletes confirmed for the mile events, only to withdraw in recent days – citing the coronavirus as their reason."

The last few weekends has also potential entrants flat out at the Porritt Classic in Hamilton and Capital Classic in Wellington, while the Sir Graeme Douglas International Track Challenge will be held in Auckland on March 21.

In addition, the New Zealand Athletic Championships are in Christchurch this weekend, while potential Australian entries for Whanganui were less likely due to the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Queensland Track Classic in Brisbane, also on March 21.

Therefore, Sears said they would not run Mile championships as a stand alone event this season.

"Taking into account the number of athletes not available this March, next year's NZ One Mile Championship, with agreement with Athletics NZ, will be incorporated into the Cooks Classic, scheduled for January 2021."

Held over Whanganui Anniversary Weekend, the Cooks Classic leads off the three classic events with Porritt and Capital.

Naming the meeting after Snell was an opportunity to celebrate the night in January 1962 when the Olympic gold medallist made Cooks Gardens world famous by setting his first One Mile world record and breaking the four minute barrier (3m 54.4s).

Sir Peter - who died in his sleep in Dallas on December 12 - had been a supporter of bringing back the Mile championships.