Athletics: Madgwick's 3000m race goes exactly to plan

Kirk Madgwick (Hill City-University) ran to plan and recorded an impressive victory in the 3000m at a quick-fire twilight track and field meeting at the Caledonian Ground last night.

Madgwick (19) ran with the pace of his coach, Olympic middle distance representative Robbie Johnston (Hill City-University), over the first 1500, but under instructions turned on the gas to run the second 1500m solo and break the tape in 9min 8.81sec.

While the 800m and 1500m distances are Madgwick's focus for the season, last night's 3000m was his third crack at the distance this season.

His times have reduced dramatically after beginning the season clocking 9min 39.14sec.

Last night's result proved encouraging as he is looking to lower his middle-distance times, before kicking on into senior grade competition.

Sprint events were action-packed. Stacey Dennison (Alexandra) won the 100m and 200m double, recording 13.60sec for the 100m and 27.28sec for the 200m.

But it was secondary schools middle-distance and cross-country champion Malachi Buschl (Taieri) who provided a highlight in sprint events.

In his first attempt at the distances, Buschl won the open men's 100m and 200m events, clocking 13.75sec for the 100m and 27.21sec for the 200m.

In between these races the 15-year-old Kings High School pupil ran an impressive 2min 18.22sec time to finish mid-field in the open men's 800m event.

George Woodhouse (Hill City-University) went close to establishing a big personal best in the open men's long jump, only to have it red-flagged for over-stepping. The leap was measured at 6.30m.

''There was only a toe in it,'' Woodhouse commented afterwards.

Despite this, Woodhouse still won the open grade with a jump of 6.02m. Anna Grimaldi (Taieri) won the open women's grade with 4.78m.

Alison Newall (Caversham) continues to go from strength to strength at the shot put, last night putting the shot out to a personal best 8.18m.

The javelin was full of intense competition. Carolyn Wills (Otago Masters) broke Fiona Harvey's 2009 record by a massive 4m to win the women's 45-49 grade with 29.12m.

In senior competition, Tori Peters (Taieri) won the open women's grade with 43.61m, and Rory McSweeny (Taieri) the open men's with 48.16m.

Add a Comment