Athletes Gather for Sir Graeme Douglas International

International Athletes Bolster Field for Sir Graeme Douglas International

New Zealand athletes will have an opportunity to compete against some of the world’s best at the Sir Graeme Douglas International in West Auckland on Sunday 23 February, with track and field athletes from Canada, Australia and Japan bolstering the field.

Brittany Crew of Canada, the 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, will join Dame Valerie Adams and 2018 World Junior Championship gold medallist Maddison-Lee Wesche in the senior women’s shot put. Brittany has a personal best of 19.28m and is currently ranked 7th in the world. She will be joined by her compatriot Sarah Mitton, who is currently ranked 22nd in the world with a personal best of 18.52m.

2018 Commonwealth Games long jump silver medallist Henry Frayne of Australia and 2019 Australian National Champion Henry Smith will feature in the senior men’s long jump, and seven-times Australian Champion Damian Birkinhead will join Tom Walsh in the senior men’s shot put.

The senior men’s 100m will be one to watch, with 2019 Australian Champion Rohan Browning (10.08) and Takuya Nagata (10.14) of Japan joining 2019 New Zealand and Oceania Area champion Edward Osei-Nketia (10.19) in the event.

Athletics New Zealand Chief Executive Peter Pfitzinger said they were thrilled to have such high calibre athletes joining the meet.

“This is already the best field we have ever had for the Sir Graeme Douglas International and entries are still open. We have added athletes from Australia, Canada and Japan to our own incredible local line-up, and in an Olympic and Paralympic year there will be great competition for New Zealand athletes aiming to qualify for Toyko,” said Pfitzinger.

Also on the track, 2016 New Zealand Olympic 800m representation Angie Petty will line-up alongside 2019 New Zealand 800m champion Katharine Camp and Australian Catriona Bisset, the Oceania Champion who is currently ranked 16th in the world. Nick Willis is expected to be joined in the 1500m by Craig Huffer of Australia and Kazuyoshi Tamogami of Japan.

Spaces in each event are limited and New Zealand athletes are encouraged to enter as soon as possible to secure their place in the line-up alongside the international competitors.

Hosted at the Douglas Track & Field in Henderson, the Sir Graeme Douglas International is a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze Level Meet. It is part of an International series of athletics events and will be an opportunity for athletes to gain points towards Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification or to meet the Tokyo 2020 Olympic entry standard.

Prize money of $750 for first, $400 for second and $250 for third will be available for Bronze Level events.

Tickets are available to purchase from Ticketek

• Adults $10

• Child (13-16) $5

• Children 12 & under free

• Half-price tickets for all Athletics NZ members

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