Aitkenhead prepares for Oceania champs by winning bronze

Becky Aitkenhead. PHOTO: PABLO REY
Becky Aitkenhead. PHOTO: PABLO REY
It was a bronze weekend for Becky Aitkenhead.

The national mile and 1500m track champion finished third in the New Zealand road mile championships with her time of 4min 48.35sec in Rotorua on Saturday.

Aitkenhead came third to Laura Nagel, whom Aitkenhead beat in the 1500m at the national track championships.

Nagel won gold and set a national record of 4min 46.78sec to finish 0.53sec ahead of silver medallist Brigid Dennehy, who won the road mile championships last year.

Aitkenhead (Hill City University) also won bronze in the inaugural New Zealand 5km road championships in 16min 29sec.

Nagel won that title as well in 16min 14sec, while Dennehy was runner-up in 16min 18sec.

Aitkenhead will now prepare for the Oceania championships next month.

Ariki runner Catherine Lund has been selected for the world under-20 athletics championships in Lima, Peru, in August.

Lund will compete in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.

Southlander James McLeay (St Pauls) has also been selected in the men’s 1500m. They are part of a 12-strong team competing from August 27 to 31.