Race Walkers Fire in Garden City

Race Walkers Fire in Garden City (Jennian Homes NZ Track & Field Champs Day 3)

It was the turn of New Zealand’s blue chip race walkers to impress on a soggy and chilly morning on day three of the Jennian Homes New Zealand Track & Field Championships in Christchurch.

Two-time Olympian Quentin Rew took out his first national title for eight years by claiming victory in the 10,000m race in 41:19.10 – a distance which has replaced the 20km event from previous editions.

Meanwhile, in the women’s equivalent, Commonwealth 20km silver medallist Alana Barber banked the national crown by slicing more than 14 seconds for her previous best track time for the distance in 45:48.49.

Melbourne-based Rew, whose 10,000m track best is 40:51.55, said: “It is always great to compete in front of a home crowd at nationals and to win the gold medal is a great honour.

“The race was pretty solid. I felt a little tired but I’m preparing more for the 50km at the event and in five weeks I’m competing at the Japanese national champs over 50km, which should be a real humdinger.”

Rew remains focused on the 50km race walk at the World Championships in Doha but is also hoping to lock in qualification marks for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics this year.

Damian Blocki of Poland, a top twenty finisher in the 20km race walk at the 2017 World Championships, wound up second in 41:29.68 with Tony Sargisson, the 2006 Commonwealth 50km silver medallist, crossing the line third for silver in the championship in 54:14.92. Graeme Jones (Hawkes Bay Gisborne) earned his place on the bottom rung of the podium, courtesy of a 55:54.15 clocking.

Barber was elated to land the 10km title in preparation for racing over the 20km distance at the Asian Championships next weekend in Japan.

“I’m really happy, it was faster than expected and I wanted to use today as a hit out for the Asian Champs next week. The time shows I’m in better shape than I thought,” adds Barber, who has already secured the World Championship qualification mark for the 20km race walk.

The minor medallists were Laura Langley (Hawkes Bay Gisborne) in 51:56.48 ahead of Rozie Robinson (Canterbury) 55:59.48.

There was also an impressive performance as 16-year-old Nathan McCutcheon (Auckland) completed the 25-lap distance in a handy 46:16.01 to take out the men’s U20 10km race walk crown. Daniel Du Toit (Wellington) in 48:43.36 and Lucas Martin (Manawatu) 51:22.82 completed the medallists.

Candidate for most inspirational winner of the day was Canterbury’s Rosa Flanagan, who regained the senior women’s 3000m steeplechase title in a time of 10:53.26.

The former World U20 steeplechase finalist was an outstanding age-group talent but has since struggled with a well-publicised eating disorder and a series of gut-wrenching stress fractures.

However, the 23-year-old athlete, who hopes to qualify to compete at the World University Games later this year, has returned to competition and was delighted to bank the national title

“It was really good to be back out there and racing injury-free and enjoying myself – which is at much as I can ask for.

“I’m now managing things a lot better. I was always chasing success, which is not a bad thing, but I have flipped that around working with my psychologist John Quinn and now I define success as having fun.”

Behind, Flanagan’s fellow Cantabrian Navajo Prentice (11:00.43) picked up silver ahead of Amanda Holyer of Auckland (11:51.30) in bronze.

Lisa Adams produced one of the outstanding performances on day two of the New Zealand Track & Field Championships with her world best performance in the F37 shot put and on her return to action today she unleashed a New Zealand record of 25.88m in the women’s para discus. The performance solidifies her position as world number two - behind Czech thrower Eva Datsinska (27.22m) - in what is the Kiwi’s secondary discipline.

The performance was, however, only good enough for championship silver as Auckland’s Tayla Clement (F43), who was also in world best shot put form yesterday, hurled the discus out to 22.54m.

Competing in challenging conditions, teenager Anthony Nobilo secured the senior men’s hammer title with a solid 58.43 effort. The U20 champion from 12 months ago, finished comfortably clear of Todd Bates (Otago) 51.56m and Auckland’s Anthony Barnes 50.03m, who completed the medal dais.

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