22 January
In an unforgettable day for New Zealand sprinting, Zoe Hobbs slashed a further 0.06 from her New Zealand women’s 100m –
subject to ratification - by clocking 11.21 (+1.7m/s) at the Potts Classic in Hastings.
The 24-year-old, who posted an outright national 100m record of 11.27 in Auckland in December, went even better today in
the heats of the 100m. She returned later to win the final in a blistering 11.14 (2.2m/s) – although the windspeed was
just above the allowable limit for record purposes. Georgia Hulls (Hastings) placed second in 11.43 with Rosie Elliott
(Christchurch Old Boys) third in 11.51.
In the men’s 100m, rising star Tiaan Whelpton also unleashed a pair of blistering runs and climbed to joint number four
on the all-time New Zealand lists. The tall 21-year-old sprinter from Christchurch blasted to 10.09 in the heats – 0.02
quicker than Gus Nketia’s 28-year-old national record – but the windspeed of 3.8m/s was above the legal limit.
Whelpton returned for the final to claim a crushing victory in a time of 10.18 (1.9m/s) and served further notice of his
outstanding gifts. He finished 0.42 clear of second placed Cody Wilson (Mana). The Athletics NZ B Performance Standard
for the Commonwealth Games is 10.12.
Hobbs, who continues to go from strength to strength said: “The strategy was to go hard in both (the heat and the final)
as it’s not often we get perfect conditions like this.
“I was so happy to get the record in the heat. It ticked that box going into the final. I then just wanted to refocus
for the final and reinforce what I’d done in the heat. I have bigger goals and I wanted to qualify for worlds. To run
11.14 was bittersweet. A big aim is to run 11.15 (with a legal time) as that is the standard for worlds (World
Championships) and Commonwealth Games (11.15 is the Athletics NZ B Performance standard) but I will take a national
record.”
Whelpton said: “I was absolutely stoked to run 10.09 in the heat, it was funny I have a mental skills coach in Australia
who said I would run 10.09.
“I then came back for the final and although I was quite tired out of the blocks, I decided to go for it. I wanted to
run 10.2 something but in the back of my head I thought I could go under 10 (seconds). I can’t express how happy I am.”
Elsewhere, Olivia McTaggart (North Harbour Bays) claimed a new PB of 4.60m to win the women’s pole vault and claim her
second Commonwealth Games A Performance standard.
In the women’s 400m, national 400m hurdles record-holder Portia Bing (Waitakete City) hacked more than half-a-second
from her 400m PB to win in 52.78 and climb to number six on the all-time New Zealand lists.
Julian Oakley (Tauranga) added the national 3000m crown to the 1500m title he won last March, registering a time of
8:00.96. Laura Nagel (North Harbour Bays), who was raised in Hawkes Bay, regained the New Zealand women’s 3000m title in
a time of 9:28.87.