Eliza McCartney makes the world's best outdoor vault of 2016
Teenage pole vaulting sensation Eliza McCartney has reached an incredible new height, with a record clearance at 4.80m that would have won her Olympic gold at the London 2012 games.
McCartney broke her own New Zealand record and set a new Oceania mark with her stunning performance at the national championships in Dunedin on Saturday.
Her 4.80m clearance was the best outdoor vault of 2016 so far, and 11th on the all-time list. McCartney will now head to the United States to compete in the world indoor championships in 10 days’ time.
Dawkins denied second world track gold by 2/1000ths of a second
After anchoring the New Zealand men’s sprint team to gold, Eddie Dawkins has added another silver medal to his collection at the UCI track cycling world championships in London.
Dawkins finished just 2/1000ths of a second behind Germany’s Joachim Eilers in the keirin final this morning, repeating the silver medal he won at last year’s worlds. It was Dawkin’s sizzling ride in the final leg that saw the Kiwi men’s sprinters overtake their Dutch rivals’ time in the gold race-off.
Dawkins' gold and silver effort saw New Zealand finish the championships sixth-equal on the points table.
The New Zealand women’s team pursuit were denied bronze by the British team, while the men’s pursuiters could not successfully defend their world title, finishing seventh. Natasha Hansen was fifth in the women’s sprint.
Walsh and Adams have memorable weekends with shot put
Shot putter Tom Walsh has had an unforgettable weekend on both sides of the Tasman, extending his New Zealand resident’s record in Dunedin before taking out the IAAF Challenge in Melbourne a day later.
Walsh claimed his seventh national title in Dunedin with a throw of 21.11m, adding 20cm to the resident’s record he set last month. Rival Jacko Gill was second with a best throw of 20.22m.
Then Walsh flew to Melbourne where he beat his Australian counterpart Damien Birkinhead for the IAAF title with a best distance of 20.87m on his third attempt.
Double Olympic Games champion Valerie Adams also got an injection of confidence winning her 14th national women’s shotput title with the world’s best shot put throw of the year. Adams threw 19.43m in only her second competition on the comeback trail from surgery, the best indoor or outdoor distance of 2016.
Black Sticks women triumph in series against world No. 2 Argentina
PHOTO: Carlos de Vita
The Black Sticks women have scored a psychological victory on their road to Rio claiming a series win over arch rivals Argentina in Mar del Plata.
The world No. 4 New Zealanders drew the sixth and final test 2-2 and although they ended up on even points with two wins, two losses and two draws, the Black Sticks beat the world No. 2 Argentinians with a better goal differential.
Black Sticks coach Mark Hager described the series as “a good adventure against a very good opponent”. The New Zealanders now prepare to play two tests against Canada at Easter before the international Hawkes Bay Cup early next month.
Black Sticks men return to turf with win over Malaysia
After a five-month hiatus, the Black Sticks men overcame a rusty start to beat Malaysia 4-1 in the opening game of their four-test home series.
The New Zealanders, ranked eighth in the world, found themselves trailing 1-0 early in the match in Tauranga against the world No. 13 team. But goals from Jacob Smith, Nick Wilson, Nic Woods and Shay Neal ensured the Black Sticks began their Olympic year with a victory.
The match was a milestone for veteran Ryan Archibald, who played his 300th test for New Zealand.
Epic fightback for rowers to make NZ team for Rio
Thirty-one rowers in nine New Zealand boats have been named for the Rio Olympic Games.
Veteran Rebecca Scown, who won Olympic bronze in 2012, is back in the women’s pair with new crewmate Genevieve Behrent, taking over the boat from last year's world silver medallists Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler. But all four are making history in the women’s eight crew – the first time that New Zealand will have both a men’s and women’s eight.
London bronze medallist Peter Taylor has fought his way into the men's lightweight four, while two-time world lightweight double sculls champions Julia Edward and Sophie MacKenzie staved off a strong challenge from world lightweight single scull champion Zoe McBride.
Five other boats will chase Olympic places at the “last chance” qualifying regatta in Switzerland in May.
Sissons starts world triathlon series strongly
PHOTO: Tommy Zaferes / @TZaferes
Ryan Sissons has begun the 2016 ITU World Triathlon Series season in strong fashion, finishing seventh in Abu Dhabi.
The No. 1 Kiwi men’s triathlete was hunting a top eight finish in his goal to meet selection criteria for the Rio Olympic Games.
Promising young Auckland athlete Sam Ward finished 38th in his first full-distance world series race, while in the women’s event, Nicky Samuels was the best of the New Zealanders finishing 20th in her return to the sport after an 18-month absence. Simone Ackermann was 24th.
White-water kayakers Jones and Dawson put forward for Rio selection
Luuka Jones and Mike Dawson have taken one step closer to being nominated as New Zealand’s canoe slalom athletes for the Rio Olympic Games.
Two-time Olympian Jones won all three races in the K1 women’s selection series, while London Olympian Dawson had a fight on his hands to stave off rival Callum Gilbert for the K1 men’s spot.
Dawson finished ahead of Gilbert at the Oceania champs to strengthen his nomination, which now goes before the NZOC for final selection.
Mountain bikers Cooper and Fluker fly through Central’s back country
Olympic mountain bike team contenders Anton Cooper and Kate Fluker have won their respective races in the Motatapu Off Road Series.
World under-23 champion Cooper charged through the 47km course between Wanaka and Queenstown in 1:51;39, heading of Tim Rush and Brendan Akeroyd for the men’s title.
In perfect mountain biking conditions, Fluker crossed the line in 2:13:04 in the women’s race, followed by Wanaka 15-year-old Phoebe Young and Melissa Newell. Fluker now turns her focus to the start of her international season next month, and Olympic selection.
New Zealand sevens win plate final in Las Vegas
The New Zealand men’s sevens have won the plate final at the Las Vegas stop on the world series circuit, to finish a disappointing fifth overall.
The New Zealanders came unstuck in their final pool match, a shock 22-0 defeat to Kenya, before losing the quarterfinal 14-7 to South Africa. After needing extra time to fend off Argentina in the plate semi-final, they recorded a 27-7 victory to win the plate.
Another shock loss was Sonny Bill Williams – the All Blacks’ star suffering a knee injury before the tournament began. He will also miss next weekend’s Canada Sevens in Vancouver.
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