Jonathan Wyatt of New Zealand (© Getty Images)
New Zealand’s World Mountain Running champion Jonathan Wyatt starts his 2005 campaign in the national 10,000m track championships in Inglewood on Saturday (22 Jan), in what generally will be a very significant year for running in the country.
Wyatt, who will be defending his World title in the World Mountain Running Trophy to be staged in his home town of Wellington, New Zealand on 25 September, took the national 10,000m track title in 2003 when he ran 27:56.80. The race on that occasion was won by Lee Troop of Australia (27:51.26), and a couple of Australians, Michael Chettle and Russell Dessaix-Chin will also add spice to this year’s championships in Ingelwood.
Wyatt, the four-time World Mountain Running champion, is an extremely versatile runner with personal bests including 7:54.20 (3000m), 13:27.66 (5000m), 27:56.80 (10,000m), 62:37 (Half Marathon) and 2:13:00 (Marathon). He finished 6th in the 2002 Commonwealth Marathon and 20th at the Athens Olympic Marathon.
However, despite Wyatt's impressive pedigree, in the battle for the national 10,000m title there will be strong opposition from Craig Kirkwood of Auckland, who will use the national title race as his final preparations for his run in the forthcoming Beppu Marathon in Japan (6 Feb). Kirkwood, winner of the Auckland Half Marathon late last year, has a 10,000m best time of 28:37 from when finishing fourth in the 2001 championship in Inglewood. Last year's winner Michael Aish will not return to defend his title.
The women's title should be fought out between defending champion Shireen Crumpton of Otago, Nicole Cope of Auckland and Gabrielle O'Rourke of Wellington.
Good throwing in opening Grand Prix meet
The 10,000m championships are at the hub of the New Zealand season with a four stage track and field Grand Prix series having commenced on Monday in Dunedin (17 Jan). That opening event was highlighted by performances from the country’s two best female throwers, former World Youth and junior champion Valerie Adams-Vili, 20, who produced a world class Shot Put of 19.05m, and reigning Commonwealth Games and former World champion Beatrice Faumuina, who started her 2005 campaign with a Discus Throw of 61.70m.
This Grand Prix series concludes on 12 February in Wellington, with the climax of the domestic season being the national track and field championships in Wanganui from 11 - 13 March.
The build-up for the World Mountain Running Trophy then begins in earnest with the staging of the national mountain running championships on 15 May.
Athletics New Zealand and
Chris Turner for the IAAF
2005 Schedule
Union Grand Prix Series -
17 January 2005 - Otago Grand Prix Dunedin
5 February 2005 - Sylvia Potts Classic Hastings
9 February 2005 - Porritt Classic Hamilton
12 February 2005 - Capital Classic Wellington
22 February 2005 – 10,000m Champs Inglewood
11 – 13 March 2005 – National track and field Champs Wanganui
15 May 2005 - New Zealand Mountain Running Championships, Wellington
25 September 2005 - World Mountain Running Trophy, Wellington
