Dame Valerie Adams was denied victory in the shot put, while Edward Osei-Nketia bounced back to retain his senior men's national 100m title on day one of the Jennian Homes New Zealand Track and Field Championships in Christchurch yesterday.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Auckland sprint prodigy suffered a shock defeat to Cantabrian teenager Tiaan Whelpton at the Capital Classic last week but chose a "mind dump" session inspired by All Black great Richie McCaw to refocus on the defence of his national title.
The 18-year-old, who last year represented New Zealand at the 2019 Doha World Championships, stopped the clock at 10.46 (-0.2m/s), 0.07 clear of Hamish Gill (Auckland), while Whelpton collected the bronze.
"Last week when Tiaan beat me got me focused," explains Eddie. "I recently watched the movie "Chasing Great" on Richie McCaw and after he lost when playing for the All Blacks against France at the 2007 World Cup he did some mind dumping, so I thought I should do that after a tough race. The next day I went for a walk in Wellington and cleared my mind.
"I'm okay with a 10.46 into a minus headwind, it was really cold and it was an okay race," he said.
Meanwhile, Zoe Hobbs retained her status as the Queen of New Zealand sprinting in the final of the senior women's 100m.
The 22-year-old Auckland-based athlete secured a fourth successive national 100m crown by blitzing to a time of 11.47 with a 1.3m/s tailwind.
Hobbs finished 0.19 clear of Rosie Elliott, with Georgia Hulls third.
"I was freezing cold for the final and I didn't execute the way I would have liked. But I guess you have to roll with the conditions and to win four (100m) titles in a row is really special."
Edward Osei-Nketia during the Men's 100m, during the Sir Graeme Douglas International, Auckland 2020. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Walsh wins 11th straight national title
Tom Walsh claimed an 11th straight national shot put title with a season's best of 21.70m.
The 2019 World bronze medallist finished clear of Jacko Gill (Auckland) who took silver with a 21.07m throw on his seasonal debut.
However, Walsh felt a little frustrated he did not produce a little more in his final competition of the domestic season.
"I'm training really well but just can't quite translate it into the shot circle," he said. "It is a timing issue and it happens every year but this one seems to be hanging around for a bit longer. But I had four really good attempts at it and four out of six times on a windy night is not the worst result."
Dame Valerie Adams was denied victory courtesy of a dramatic sixth round effort by Canadian Brittany Crew, although the Kiwi had the consolation of securing her 16th national shot put title.
Crew, who finished eighth at the 2019 World Championships, took an early first round lead with an 18.49m effort.
But Dame Valerie found her range in round two with an 18.73m throw, as she came within 8cm of her season's best.
Dame Valerie appeared all set to bounce back from the disappointment of finishing second to Crew's fellow Canadian Sarah Mitton at the Sir Graeme Douglas International in Auckland until Crew hurled 18.88m to dislodge Adams from top spot.
The two-time Olympic champion could not produce the counter-punch she required and had to settle for second; Mitton came third.
Adams, who now sits one national shot put title shy of the 17-time champion Val Young, said: "It was consistent, I've just got to keep working on it. It was awesome to have Brittany and the Canadians here to add a bit of depth to the event."
"Another national title, I can't complain. Last year I was here heavily pregnant and coaching my sister (Para shot world champion Lisa Adams) and now I'm back again tomorrow coaching my sister. Happy days!"
Commonwealth champion Julia Ratcliffe climaxed her highly successful domestic campaign by securing her fifth national hammer title to surpass 70m for the third competition in succession.
Last month Ratcliffe fired the hammer out to an Oceania record of 72.35m at the Porritt Classic and the 26-year-old followed that up with a 70.31m performance at a blustery Nga Puna Wai.
Ratcliffe may be 15cm shy of the Olympic qualification mark but is clearly in the form of her life.
"Given the conditions I'm absolutely happy," she said.
"It is a bit annoying because we are chasing qualification marks in conditions that aren't conducive to throwing far. There is definitely more in the tank and it is a shame I couldn't get the qualification mark, but you have to just turn up and do your best."
Triathlete Hayden Wilde won a thrilling senior men's 5000m final by defeating the dethroning champion Matt Baxter of the title by 0.79 in 14:13.86.
The women's 5000m title went to Rebekah Greene (Otago) in 16:51.66.
Hamish Kerr collected his fifth New Zealand senior men's high jump title with a best of 2.16m.
Earlier in the day, Portia Bing secured her third straight 400m hurdles national title, and Kayla Goodwin broke her own New Zealand U19 triple jump record.
Bing clocked a time of 57.69 and although she was some way shy of the Olympic qualification distance of 55.40, Bing was encouraged by the performance in windy conditions.
Michael Cochrane grabbed his maiden national senior 400m hurdles title in a time of 55.15.
Imogen Ayris regained the senior national women's pole vault title on countback from training partner Olivia McTaggart.
The Auckland duo both cleared 4.25m at the first time of asking but Ayris, 19, was awarded gold by virtue of a first time clearance at 4.15m.
And Briana Stephenson (Auckland) sailed out to a personal best of 6.08m to strike gold and claim her maiden senior women's long jump title.
