Zoe Hobbs Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Sprinter Zoe Hobbs has broken the 11-second barrier for the first time in her career but it will not be recorded as she had a tailwind at the New Zealand Track and Field Champs in Wellington.
She won the final of the 100m, clocking a sensational 10.89 seconds.
Hobbs broke her own New Zealand 100m record and Oceania record during her heat on Friday morning, with a time of 11.07 seconds.
She also banked an automatic entry standard time for the 2023 World Athletics Championships thanks to her time in the heat.
It was a brilliant display from the 25-year-old Taranaki-raised, Auckland-based sprinter who was competing in her first competition of the season.
"I was a little surprised coming back from injury as I had a little interruption, so I didn't expect to open the season that well, but they have been indicators in training. It was just a matter of putting it together in a race. To actually go out and run so well was awesome," Hobbs said.
"The performance in the heats gave me a boost of confidence and I thought I was capable because I finished that race just wanting to close the race down. It was running lose, so I knew I had a bit more to give in the final, I knew there was the capability for more."
Behind Hobbs, Rosie Elliott (Canterbury) recorded 11.36 for silver with Veronica Shanti Periera of Singapore in 11.44 crossing the line in third. Brooke Somerfield of Waikato Bay of Plenty (11.51) claimed the bronze.
Tiaan Whelpton claimed his maiden New Zealand senior title with an emphatic victory in the men's 100m, posting a time of 10.13 (5.2). Aided by a huge tailwind, the mark was the second fastest 100m time in all conditions of his career and it was a warmly received gold medal after he suffered the heartbreak of hamstring injuries in each of the past two 100m finals at the national championships.
Behind, there was first ever senior national medals for Auckland duo Dhruv Rodrigues Chico (10.31) and James Guthrie-Croft (10.57), who secured silver and bronze, respectively.
"It was nice to finally put the 10.18 curse behind me, I'm happy with the win, although I was surprised it was as windy as a 5.2m/s," said Whelpton.
Commonwealth shot put bronze medallist Maddi Wesche stepped up her performance level a notch or two for the 2023 campaign by winning a fourth senior national shot title by firing out to 19.13m - her longest ever throw in New Zealand and her second best competition performance.
The 23-year-old Aucklander went into the competition with a season's best of 18.68m but four times went beyond that distance on Friday with an excellent all-round series.
In round one she popped out a 19.03m followed up by an 18.93m before her winning distance logged in the third stanza. She climaxed her competition with another 18.93m effort. Natalia Rankin-Chitar (Auckland), who later in the day secured the national U20 shot title with 14.51m, claimed a national senior silver courtesy of a 14.93m throw.
"We've freshened up a bit for this comp, so it was good to get over the 19m line. I've mainly been working on technique with the hope that they stick in comps," Wesche said.
"I didn't realise it was my fourth national title, I love competing in New Zealand. There is something about the New Zealand atmosphere."
James Preston secured a hat-trick of national men's 800m titles, edging a compelling tactical battle from Brad Mathas in a compelling showdown between the two-lap warriors.
Preston, competing on his home track, seized control of the race from the front hitting the midway checkpoint in around 55 seconds before biding his time, executing his winning kicking in the final 150m.
Mathas, the eight-time champion, swung wide to mount his attack down the home stretch but Preston hung tough to win by 0.08 in 1:49.80. Dominic Devlin (Auckland) claimed a fourth successive national senior 800m medal in bronze (1.50.87)
Wellington toasted the senior men's and women's 800m double after Alison Andrews-Paul claimed her maiden national senior title with a composed performance in the latter event.
Competing at her first national track amd field championships for seven years, the Canadian-based Masterton-raised athlete controlled the race from the front and when she opened up over the final 200m she could not be caught, clocking a season's best 2:05.01.
Jennie Hauke enjoyed a good run to upgrade on the bronze medal she won at 2022 nationals by taking out the silver medal in 2:06.32. Defending champion Holly Manning, who had a challenging build up after a bout of Covid, was rewarded with bronze (2:06.87).
Commonwealth finalist Portia Bing secured a sixth successive national 400m hurdles title with a rock solid 57.12 in her first race over barrier in 2023.
Bing was pushed hard by French athlete Loan Ville who crossed the line in 58.76. Nonetheless, the 29-year-old Aucklander will be satisfied to extend her sequence of New Zealand crowns.
Jonathan Maples (Manawatu-Whanganui) claimed back-to-back national senior men's 400m hurdles titles, achieving the feat with a PB of 54.05 to finish comfortably clear of 19-year-old silver medallist Cameron Moffitt (56.08m) of Otago.
Tori Peeters (Waikato Bay of Plenty) secured her seventh national senior javelin title with a season's best effort of 60.60m. Abbey Moody (Canterbury) with 45.19m secured silver.
Elsewhere in the field, Shay Veitch regained his national senior men's long jump title with a quality series topped by a season's best of 7.65 (1.1). The 22-year-old Otago athlete gradually improved advancing from 7.40m in round two through to 7.65m with his penultimate jump. He dethroned his fellow Otago athlete Felix McDonald, who nonetheless jumped well to secure silver with a best of 7.47m. Lewis Arthur (Auckland) took out the bronze with 7.23m.
Anthony Nobilo claimed a comprehensive fifth successive senior men's hammer crown, uncorking a best for the day of 66.95m - his longest throw at a national championship. Todd Bates of Otago earned silver with 56.14m with Arno van Der Westhuizen (Auckland) grabbing bronze (51.53m) - just 5cm clear of 55-year-old 20-times former champion Philip Jensen (Wellington).
Double Paralympic medallist Danielle Aitchison blitzed to within 0.10 of her women's national 100m F36 record mark as she struck gold in the women's Para 100m final. Stopping the clock in 13.95 she claimed a percentage score of 97.56 within the world record to claim top spot ahead of Paralympian Anna Steven who clocked 14.15 (89.41 percent) to win the silver medal.
"I'm so happy with that time," said Aitchison. "I've been wanting to get more out of my racing, so I've been going to meets in Christchurch, Wellington, Hastings, the Classics. It's been good having that professional and elite level racing - against all the top-level athletes in New Zealand. Today though I got to race against Paras, and I got a good time, so I'm happy."
Mitch Joynt T64 edged a tight men's Para 100m with a slick 11.94 (88.86%) to shade Joe Smith T37 (88.52 percent), who clocked a time of 12.37 - aided by a windspeed just over the allowable limit of 2.1m/s.
Paddy Walsh was in record-breaking form in the women's Para long jump, adding 18cm to her national record long jump T64 with a best of 4.17m (0.9).
