Athletics is breaking new ground as it rides a wave of recent success on both the track and the field that has ignited a new era of public interest.
Athletics has become New Zealand’s most celebrated sport, boasting 29 Olympic, 142 Commonwealth Games and 100 Paralympic medals - and the current crop of athletes have dominated the sport’s upper echelons in recent years.
High jumper Hamish Kerr soared to new heights as the Olympic and world champion, Olympic shot putters Jacko Gill and Tom Walsh - who recently became the most decorated indoor champion - continue their rich form, and shot putter Maddi Wesche won silver at the Paris Olympics.
Women’s pole vault has become prominent through Olympians Eliza McCartney, Olivia Taggart and Imogen Ayris, all of whom qualified for the world indoor championships, although only McCartney and Ayris - who won bronze - were able to be selected under the criteria.
Sprinter Zoe Hobbs is the fastest woman in Oceania, Geordie Beamish is the steeplechase world champion - he also won the men’s 1500m title at the world indoor championships in 2024 - and the battle between 1500m runners Sam Ruthe and Sam Tanner put the distance on the map.
Ruthe, a generational talent, continues to light up the track, being the youngest person to dip under four minutes in the mile, and breaking countless records.
Connor Bell (discus), Tori Moorby (javelin), Lauren Bruce (hammer), Camille French (marathon), Ethan Olivier (triple jump), James Preston (800m) and Maia Ramsden (1500m) all competed at the Olympics.
Then there is the para success.
Dunedin’s Anna Grimaldi won gold and bronze at the Paralympics, and picked up medals at the world championships, as did local thrower Holly Robinson, who has turned her focus to shot put and holds the Oceania record.
Sprinter Danielle Aitchison is an Olympic and world champion, and broke several world records, Will Stedman stood on the podium in the 400m in Paris and world championships, sprinter Mitch Joynt holds the Oceania record in the 200m, and shot putter Lisa Adams came out of retirement to claim her third world championship title last year.
Athletics cleaned up at the Halberg Awards.
Kerr was named supreme athlete and sportsman of the year, James Sandiland collected coach of the year for guiding Kerr, Ruthe won emerging talent, Aitchison was named para athlete of the year and former Olympic shot putter Valerie Adams was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.
Kerr also won the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s Lonsdale Cup last year.
Otago athletes are not far off and continue to punch above their weight.
Grimaldi was named para athlete of the year, Mikey Jacobs was named coach of the year for his hand in Grimaldi’s success, and the 4x100m relay team - who recently won their fifth consecutive national title - won team of the year at the 2025 Otago Sports Awards.
Tomorrow, the Otago Daily Times starts a multi-part series, On Track, exploring the recent trajectory athletics has been on in New Zealand.
We will hear from former national runners and broadcasters, Dunedin Paralympians and New Zealand and Otago stalwarts, speaking about the foundations that lead to accolades, why more people are paying attention, how Otago has played its role and why the current crop is teetering on the edge of forming the country’s golden generation.
• TOMORROW: Former national runner Paul Allison’s thoughts
