Michael Dawson/Athletics NZ
Laura Nagel held off the challenge of Rebekah Greene to defend her national women’s 3000m title at the Capital Classic.
Laura Nagel and Julian Oakley retained their national 3000m titles in convincing fashion at the Capital Classic athletics meet in Wellington, while shot put ace Tom Walsh continued his encouraging early-season form.
Nagel (Hawke’s Bay) produced a perfectly timed finish on Friday night at Newtown Park to overhaul national mile champion Rebekah Greene (Otago) with a devastating last lap to claim the title in 9min19.18sec. Oakley, now based in Mount Maunganui and training under Craig Kirkwood, was equally impressive in setting sail with three laps remaining to finish in 7:55.49.
In the women’s 3000m, Anneke Grogan had set the early pace, with Greene, Nagel, Hannah Miller and Tillie Hollyer tucking in behind. Greene took over at the 1800m mark and the race came down to a duel between her and Nagel. Greene finished second in 9:19.89, with Hollyer third (9:31.89).
Oakley added the men’s 3000m to the 10,000m title he won at the Newtown track in November.
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Craig Lautenslager claimed second in 8:06.75 from early pacemaker Eric Speakman (8:06.93).
Walsh took another important step along his improvement graph for 2023 when he dominated the men’s shot put with a winning, and meeting record, throw of 21.21 metres in the opening round. It added 20cm to his best effort last year. All six attempts by the Olympic bronze medallist were over 20m.
Nick Palmer finished second with a best of 18.03m and Australian champion Aiden Harvey was third with 18.00m.
Other highlights included a meet record in victory to Australian men’s triple jump champion Ayo Ore (15.60m); Anthony Nobilo, with 67.48m, adding 5cm to Philip Jensen’s 2003 men’s hammer meet record; Lauren Bruce commanding the women’s hammer with a best of 65.63m in the final round; and Hamish Gill claiming an impressive sprint double in the 100m (10.40s) and 200m (21.18).
Georgia Hulls also claimed the women’s sprint double, clocking 11.65s in the 100 and 23.61 over 200.
Four-time Paralympic medallist and T36 athlete Will Stedman also enjoyed a successful night, winning the men’s para 100m in 12.72s, before recording a slick 25.55s to finish top in the 200m.
Joshua Hawkins smashed James Mortimer’s 2006 meet record to win the 110m hurdles with an impressive 14.08s, while Anna Percy wen close to her best in the 100m hurdles, winning in 13.88s.
Alice Taylor cleared a PB to win the women’s high jump with 1.84m, nudging Keeley O’Hagan (1.80m) and Imogen Skelton (1.76m). Taylor later finished second in the javelin to Tori Peeters, who sent the spear out to 59.12m.
