Kiwi Olympia Nick Willis will attempt to set a new 1500m stadium record at Cooks gardens on Tuesday night.
Kiwi Olympia Nick Willis will attempt to set a new 1500m stadium record at Cooks gardens on Tuesday night.
An action- packed 100 minutes of track and field action is in store Tuesday night at the annual Cooks Classic at Cooks Gardens where stadium records are under serious threat from some of New Zealand's finest athletes.
Beginning at 7.15pm, the evening starts and ends with events that is likelysee new stadium records with the high jump at the start and the 1500 metres at 9pm particulary vulnerable.
In between there are two Under 20 New Zealand 3000 metre Championships, an outstanding under 18 100 metre women's event featuring Whanganui's three outstanding nationally-ranked athletes, six races to settle the popular "Fastest kid on the Block" event mid-programme and three heats of 400 metre handicap running events to battle for the winner-take-all cash prize. These are backed up with throwing, jumping, 200 metre sprint events and a women's mile.
+ The evening action highlights
7.15pm: High Jump Men. Can Hamish Kerr break his own stadium rcord of 2 .17 m? A recent 2.25 metre jump in Christchurch suggests he can. The NZ All Time Number 2 can close in on the NZ record of 2.30 metres ahead of a top field of 8 jumpers.
7.50pm: Discus men and women including New Zealand Commonwealth Games representative Siositina Hakeai who finished 4th in both Glasgow and the Gold Coast and NZ Decathlon great Brent Newdick heading the males.
7.50pm: "The Fastest Kid on the Block". Six age group races with kids representing their districts striving to show that they are the fastest kid on the block. 8.05pm: Men's Triple Jump featuring NZ leading male Scott Thomson and our own Keiran Pere. Female Shot features the return of Heptathlete Lexi Maples to her home Cooks Gardens.
8.05pm: The New Zealand under 20 3000 metre Championship. Favourite Hannah O'Connor is not only chasing gold but hopes to break her own stadium record.
8.20pm: 400m Handicap. 18 athletes chasing the winner-take-all prize. Local interest with Tayla Brunger, Ana Brabyn, Paris Munro and Zach Bellamy. Former Collegiate athlete Josh Ledger returns to Cooks Gardens and hopes to again take line honours and this year also the handicap win.
8.30pm: The New Zealand under 20 3000m Championship. Features Whanaganui's latest middle distance arrival Andres Hernandez striving for a podium place ahead of a top field of 14 starters.
8.50pm: The women's Mile. Local interest with NZ Schools Cross Country representative Sarah Lambert and Josephine Perkins in the under 16 section.
9pm: The Men's 1500m. All the fast times for the 1500m and the mile have been after 9pm. Twice Olympic medal winner and Cooks Gardens mile stadium recordholder Nick Willis is seeking to add the 1500m record of 3:38.03 to his impressive credentials. Fellow New Zealand representative Julian Oakley will challenge and can run inside Peter O' Donoghue's 1984 record.
