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Jess Ruthe ran an excellent 5000m, for the conditions, in 15m 58.07s, at the Capital Classic meeting in Wellington on Friday evening.
Ruthe and Nina Rillstone shared the pace for the first half of the race before Ruthe was left to battle the blustery conditions. Ruthe will be attempting the qualifying time, of 32m 30s, for the Melbourne
Commonwealth Games in the New Zealand 10,000m championship in Inglewood this Saturday evening. Rillstone was second in 16m 15.45s.
Stuart Farquhar was out to a season's best javelin throw of 74.10m, three metres short of qualifying for Melbourne. Farquhar has been improving in each outing and should eclipse the Games standard at the New Zealand championships.
Nick Willis gave a polished display of running in his only race in Wellington this season, winning the 5000m in 14m 13.44s.
With the blustery conditions against a fast time, Willis was content to use the race as a training run. He took the lead with five laps remaining, and finished 10 seconds ahead of Ben Ruthe, who out kicked Rees Buck for second, Ruthe timed at 14m 23.36s and Buck 14m 23.68s.
"It was tough to maintain my pace, as each gust of wind took its toll. I felt the pinch a bit but there is a lot more in the tank," said Willis.
"At this stage of my training it was a good blow out," he added.
Beatrice Faumuina received a boost in her preparations for a third gold medal in the discus at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games with her first throw over 60 metres in the discus this season.
The 1997 world champion was out to 63.30m.
"It was challenging out there tonight. But it is a good sign at this stage. While the conditions are horrible for the track runners it is good for the throwers.
"It was satisfying to get out over 60 metres, as it could have gone either way," said Faumuina.
Faumuina had two further throws of 63.07m and 62.13m.
Donald MacDonald cemented a claim for the Games relay squad, heading in Chris Donaldson over 100m in 10.63s. The former New Zealand champion powered ahead over the final 50 metres into a slight head wind. MacDonald returned to the track later in the evening to win the 200m in 21.35s.
Cory Innes scored a victory over four times New Zealand champion Tim Hawkes over 400m. Innes was through in 47.76s.
"Tim has been the bench mark in 400m for the last four years, so it is good to get a win over him," said Innes.
Fiona Crombie made a welcome return to racing in New Zealand with a win in the 3000m steeplechase at the Sylvia Potts meeting in Hastings on Sunday.
Crombie from Canterbury has been on an American athletic scholarship at Providence where she specialised in the steeplechase.
Crombie winning time was 10m 19.72s, 18 seconds slower than her best run in Belgium last July, which qualified her for Melbourne.
"I'm fine with that, I'm still in training mode for the Games," said Crombie.
Chris Donaldson of Dunedin was away to a quick start in the 100m holding out national champion James Dolphin of Bays in 10.61s. Dolphin was back later to win the 200m in 21.32s.
Chantal Brunner of Counties won the 100m into head wind in 12.07s and the long jump clearing 6.37m. Anna Smythe of Dunedin recorded 55.04s to win the 400m while the Sylvia Potts Memorial 800m went to Otago's Kellie Palmer in 2m 12.28s.
James Mortimer of Bays, chasing an elusive 13.85s clocking in the 110m hurdles to book a place in the Melbourne Games team, won in 14.07s. Bays' Sarah Cowley won the women's 100m hurdles in 14.09s, with Veronica Torr close to the world junior champs qualifying time of 14.24s, finishing second in 14.31s.
Gareth Hyett of Wellington followed up his victory over Paul Hamblyn in 1m 50.61s in Wellington on Friday with another win this time beating Tom Osborne in 1m 49.89s.
Brent Newdick of Counties Manukau is shaping for a possible Games qualifying total in the decathlon, when he competes at the New Zealand championships in Christchurch in two weeks time. Newdick won the shot put and discus and was second in the 110m hurdles and long jump.
Craig Barrett of Hamilton won the New Zealand 3000m track walking title with Catalina Malone of North Harbour taking the women's title.
source Athletics New Zealand |
