Athletics News from Athletics New Zealand, Japan, note by Larry Eder

News from New Zealand courtesy of Murray McKinnon, and News from Japan, courtesy of K. Ken Nakamura…..

21 December 2009
NORTH SHORE
Distance Series meeting, Wednesday
Danielle Trevis, the New Zealand W19 5000m champion, went tantalisingly close to the world junior champs qualifying time, after running a personal best 16m 30.17s 5000m at the Bays distance series at Sovereign Stadium last Wednesday. The entry standard to the world junior championships in Moncton Canada in July is 16m 30s.
The entire field of four all ran personal best times, Lydia O’Donnell 16m 58.95s, Annie Keown 17m 32.91s and Tara La Grange 18m 5.68s.
Erin Montgomery, who helped with the pace making was timed at 10m 2.2s at 3000m.
AUCKLAND
John Walker Night of Miles, Mt Smart Stadium, Saturday
Beatrice Faumuina was in Commonwealth Games form on Saturday evening exceeding the performance standard for the Games in five of her six rounds.
The twice Commonwealth champion and 1997 world discus throw champion opened with a throw of 57.04m, improving in the next two rounds to 58.51m and 59.27m.
Her competition finished off with a 57.11m and 57.61m, all throws better than the standard of 56m, confirming her fifth equal ranking in the Commonwealth this year. Exceeding the standard on each outing is Faumuina’s aim this season.
“Absolutely to exceed the qualifier which is 56 flat – so my goal this much again, as it was a couple of weekends ago, no matter what the conditions are, to try and crack that.
“And just really at this time of the year is about enjoying the season which I have done, and looking forward to the new year,” said Faumuina.
Her next competition will be at the Capital Classic meeting in Wellington on 22 January.
Jacko Gill followed up his record breaking shot put performance at the schools championships in Timaru last weekend with another record in the shot.
Gill, who turned 15 yesterday, moved up to the M19 and heavier 6kg shot and sent the ball of steel out to 17.41m, for a fresh Auckland record. He added 65cm to Damian Smuts’ record set earlier this year. Gill, who holds the New Zealand M16 and M17 records, will need an effort of 18.00m for a national M18 record and 18.62m for a M19 record. Gill comes from a great throwing background, his father Walter won the New Zealand shot put title in 1987 and 1989 and the New Zealand discus throw title in 1975 and his mother Nerida (Morris) won the New Zealand senior women’s discus title in 1990.
Jonathan Jackson’s explosive finish carried him to victory in the annual John Walker junior mile. Cameron Graves provided the early pace for the top class field, before Wellington runner Alex Wallace steered them through to the three quarter mark. Aaron Pulford of Hamilton hit out down the back straight on the final lap with Jackson in tow. Jackson accelerated around Pulford on the bend and just held him out down the straight to record 4m 12.54s. Pulford was timed at 4m 12.95s with Wallace third in 4m 13.07s.
Alice Taylor, back in Auckland for the Christmas break from her scholarship at the Concordia University in Portland Oregon, won the women’s mile in 5m 5.47s at the night of miles. Taylor’s latest effort in the States was 17m 17.48s for 5000m indoors.
Natasha Murrihy of Taumaranui excelled in the mile walk winning in a fast 7m 37.68s.
In the Auckland junior 1500m championships Georgia Clode, daughter of New Zealand 1500m champion in 1989 and 1991 Phil Clode, led throughout to win the girls 10 title in 5m 38.16s.

TE AROHA
Mountain Race, Saturday 12th December
Shay Williamson from Matata in the Bay of Plenty won the annual Te Aroha mountain race last week, 12th December, in 1h 0m 31s, nearly seven minutes ahead of Steve Sunderland of Te Aroha. The 16 year old Williamson was just five seconds outside the race record for the 4km rising 950m through bush tracks to the TV tower at the summit and the 4km down to the finish at the Te Aroha Domain. Helen Rountree from Hamilton was the first woman in tenth place in 1h 14m 19s.
TAURANGA
Open meeting, Tauranga Domain, Saturday
Michael Cochrane had a dramatic finish in the 110m hurdles. Racing in the eighth lane he hit the last hurdle sending him sprawling down the track and across the finish line in lane seven. Cochrane won in 15.21s, beating Peter Callagher who was in lane seven and had to take evasive action finishing in lane six in 15.47s. Joseph Millar won the M19 100m in 11.33s and the 400m in 49.52s. Tama Toki second to Millar in the 400m in 49.61s won the 200m in 22.53s. Luke Davison won the M16 high jump with 1.88m and Oliver Ranby B14 was out to 1.88m in the long jump.

WELLINGTON
Scottish Night of Miles, Newtown Park, Saturday
Hamish Carson battled the strong northerly winds to win the annual mile in 4m 11.79s, beating Corey Casey 4m 12.84s and Luke O’Donnell 4m 26.12s. Nick Willis, back in Wellington for six weeks of training, provided the pace over the first 1300m. Jacinda Swain won the women’s mile in 4m 57.95s, Mike Krause the M19 mile in 4m 31.28s and Peter Baillie won the mile walk in 7m 56.85s. Kieron McDonald M16 won the 800m in 1m 59.81s. In the field, Billy Crayford cleared 1.95m in the high jump, Marissa Pritchard was out to 5.59m (+0.5) in the long jump, Matthew Sullivan had a 6.68m (+3.8) long jump and Richard Thomson sent the shot out to 14.40m.

CHRISTCHURCH
NBx-mas Cracker Meeting, QEII Stadium, Saturday
Kate Newitt, who turned 19 in February this year, set a New Zealand W19 10,000m track walk record of 50m 15.56s, substantially reducing Amanda Gorst’s record of 51m 2.74s set at the world junior championships in Grosseto Italy in 2004.
Kim Hogarth won the feature event at the annual meeting the 5000m in 14m 28.78s. Andrew Davidson was second in 14m 30.91s and Mark Bailey third in 14m 37.12s. Macklin Chaffee from Chagrin Falls Ohio was fourth in 14m 37.59s and Rees Buck fifth in 14m 41.91s. A number of personal bests further down the field were achieved, Malcolm Hicks sixth in 14m 45.94s, Stefan Smith eighth in 14m 49.45s, Alex Parlane tenth in 14m 53.31s, Tony Payne 11th in 14m 56.19s, Harry Dixon 12th in 14m 56.53s, Daniel Balchin 13th in 14m 56.84s and Bevan Stevens 16th in 15m 37.66s.
Nicki McFadzien recorded 17m 7.28s over 5000m with Sarah McSweeney running 17m 48.05s.
Hannah Newbould (18) won the women’s mile in 4m 48.78s, beating Angela Smit 5m 4.63s and Margot Gibson 5m 15.44s. James List of Otago took out the men’s invitational mile in 4m 22.06s. Derick Lotz won the M19 800m in 1m 57.69s, Jesse Bryant cleared 1.86m in the high jump, while David Rakoci of Australia was kept busy in the M16 throwing events, with 15.28m in the shot put, 50.99m in the hammer and 41.35m in the javelin. Nicola Hely of Otago won the women’s sprint double with 12.32s (+1.3) in the 100m and 24.97s (+0.8) in the 200m. Kelsey Berryman won the W19 200m in 26.33s (-0.4) while Fiona Morrison was over the 100m hurdles in 14.92s (+1.9). Rebecca Hodgson won the W16 hammer throwing 45.91m.

DUNEDIN
Athletics Otago meeting, Saturday
Shireen Crumpton won the Otago women’s 10,000m title in 37m 40.52s and Nathan Baxter the men in 34m 17.58s. Hannah Blair won the senior javelin with a throw of 44.79m.
INVERCARGILL
Surrey Park, Saturday
Daniel O’Shea ran 53.09s for 400m hurdles within the 400m flat race won by Deejay Kennedy in 52.35s with Chad Butson second 52.40s. Rebecca Gibson won women’s 400 in 59.6s. Matthew Robinson won 100m in 11.16s with slight headwind. Jumpers had best performances: Elton Metternich (15) 1.81m and Savannah Bruin (W16) 1.65m in HJ and Ben Graham (M19) 13.48m (wind 0.0) and Charlotte Muschamp (W19) 11.62m (wind 0.0) for triple jump.
For more on athletics New Zealand, please contact Murray McKinnon at:
murray@mckinnon.co.nz
Japan Athletics News
Hofu Marathon  on Dec 20

Men

1)  Akinori Shibutani  2:13:58 

2)  Tomoaki Kunichika  2:14:38 

3)  Toyokazu Yoshimura  2:15:05 

4)  Fumiyuki Watanabe  2:15:18 

5)  Koji Harada  2:15:45 

6)  Kentaro Ito  2:16:48  

7)  Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (MGL)  2:17:19
Women

1)  Noriko Hirao  2:45:08 

2)  Hisae Yoshimatsu  2:48:10
10Km 

1)  Makoto Tobimatsu  29:36  

2)  Ryohei Nakano  29:36 

3)  Mamoru Hirano  29:37 

4)  Masayuki Obata  29:38
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