Tauranga based training partners Julian Oakley and Sam Tanner provided an exciting finish to the Blincoe Cup 5000m. After being paced perfectly by Eric Speakman through to 3000m, the pair were left to battle it out well clear of Cameron Avery who was holding third on his own.

Through the bell Oakley applied pressure got a break and gave a good turn of speed over the final lap. He finished in a personal best and race record of 13:29.74. Tanner also scored a personal best of 13:32.74 with Avery third in 14:07.55. Speakman held the race record of 13:31.84 from 2020.

Avery was followed in by Christian de Vaal 14:12.71 PB (NZ age 17 best, was Geoff Shaw 14:14.4 1975), Connor Melton 14:12.96 PB, Oska Baynes 14:16.35 PB, Jacob Priddey 14:19.59 PB, Nathan Tse 14:20.64 PB, Caden Shields 14:22.34 and James Uhlenberg 14:22.59.

Oakley thought he was in shape to run something pretty good.

“Eric did a good job pulling us through and Sam and I switched out turn at the front,” he said.

“When you have a guy like Sam right behind you on the last lap you have to be strong and I’m happy to hold him off.
“I’m just glad it wasn’t the 1500m because I would have had no chance.”

National steeplechase champion Anneke Grogan scored a notable win in the women’s 5000m in 16:26.65. Katherine Camp was second in 16:28.64 and Emily Roughan third in 16:28.84.

Four times previous winner and race record holder with 15:28.78 from 2015 Camille Buscomb was fourth in 16:34.08. Katrina Andrew was next in 16:43.29 PB, followed by Tillie Hollyer 16:51.34 PB, 2019 winner Maiya Christini 16:52.03, Bella Earl (17) 17:05.57 PB, Mackenzie Morgan (18) 17:21.85 PB and Chloe Browne 17:26.35. Earl and Morgan were under the performance standard of 17:25 for the world cross country championships.

Grogan who has been training to be a navy psychologist was surprised to win.

“For the first three months of my Navy training I didn’t have the ability to train at all and although I’ve had a lot more freedom over the past couple pf months, I’ve definitely not done a huge amount of training. My biggest mileage week was a 60km and the next week might then be zero kilometres,” she said.

Dominic Devlin bronze medallist at the national championships in March out-kicked James Ford to take out the 800m in 1:50.40. Ford fresh from winning the New Zealand secondary schools senior boys 400m/800m double was second in a PB 1:51.07 with Jack Paine third in 1:51.18 PB. Alison Andrews-Paul, who last raced in New Zealand on 25 June 2016 in Masterton and now based in Canada, won the women’s 800m in 2:05.51 from national junior champion Macey Hilton 2:08.19, Krystal Clark 2:10.94 and Maddie Kelso-Heap 2:11.72 PB.

Nick Southgate cleared 5.02m in the pole vault and Ettiene Du Preez and Ruben Vogel were both over at 4.62m, Vogel, the national junior and schools champion adding 2cm to his PB.

Wet weather drove the women’s pole vault indoors Olivia McTaggart clearing her fifth equal best vault of 4.51m. Imogen Ayres was second with 4.16m, Hannah Adye third in a PB height of 3.86m and Eliza Meekings also a PB at 3.71m.

Livvy Wilson won the handicap 100m from Georgia Hulls and Shannon Gearey. Alvin Xu took out the handicap men’s 100m from Owen Lamb and Zachary Saunders.

B grade 800m; Jack Erikson 1:57.76 PB, Conall McLean 1:57.79 PB, Luke Cudby 1:58.53 PB. B grade women; Niamh Motley 2:15.63 PB, Sascha Letica 2:17.41 PB, Amy Shennan 2:17.95 PB.

B grade 5000m; Alfie Steedman 14:35.16 PB, (NZ age 15 best, was Jake Robertson 14:53.22 2005), Jamie Moa 14:37.76 PB by 1:12.00, George Varney 14:46.82 PB. B grade women; Lahana Reeves 17:35.12 PB, Jessie Speedy 17:37.15 PB, Charlotte Blair 17:52.58 PB, Stella Hammond 17:57.90 PB.

Jaden Movold F54 5000m 13:32.84.