Adams retains title - New Zealand Championships – Day One

Fine, sunny but cool conditions at Wellington’s Newtown Park saw Valerie Adams (women’s Shot Put) and Donald MacDonald (Men’s 100m) retain their titles on Day One of the Athletics New Zealand National Track and Field championships (12 - 14 March).

MacDonald held form and won the Blue Ribbon sprint after a titanic struggle with David Falealili and the fast finishing Nick Madgwick into a mild headwind after earlier rounds saw the final eight all qualify within milliseconds of each other. Most will feature in the 200m and 4 x 100m relay tomorrow and Sunday.

Adams, barely home from setting her national record of 18.96m at the Australian titles then retaining her 11th place world ranking at the World Indoor Champs last weekend, battled the increasing cold in the early evening to prevail a metre or so below her best. She now deserves a break from competition as she focuses on Athens.

In the Junior events the outstanding Monique Williams ran away with the 100m  and looks set to replicate her 100, 200 and 400 titles at the NZ Secondary School Champs in December.  The men’s section saw winner Todd Mansfield and runner-up Graeme Read qualify for the World Junior Championships in Italy mid-year. Third was Jeffrey Thumath.

Jane Arnott was in a class of her own in the women’s 200m, while Nina Rillstone broke clear of Melissa Moon to take the 5000m, after Moon, Mary Davies and Shireen Crumpton broke away early.

In the men’s 5000m, John Henwood showed he is closing on his best after a year away from the sport with a solo last 3000m, winning in 13:50.78s. Henwood, Alastair Snowdon, Donald Naylor (UK), and Chris Gemmell  raced clear of the chasing pack until Matt Holder and Mark McKeown ran back into contention at the close where  Naylor held on for second ahead of Holder.