Preston storms within sight of Snell in 800m
Wellington middle distance runner James Preston delivered a statement win at the national championships in Wellington, which leaves him ranked behind only the legendary Sir Peter Snell over 800m.
Preston unleashed a brilliant display of two-lap running to crack 1m 45s for the first time and climbed to No 2 on the New Zealand rankings on day two of the championships in Wellington.
Defying heavy rain, Preston recorded 1m 44.87s, 0.17s off the automatic Paris Olympic entry standard.
New Zealand 1500m, mile and 3000m champion Sam Tanner was second in 1m 47.70s.
In one of the most eagerly awaited races of the championships, Preston blasted through the first 400m in 50.5s, with Tanner in close pursuit.
However, down the back stretch on the final lap, Preston’s long raking stride extended his advantage, and by the time he entered the straight, it was the 26-year-old against the clock.
Preston moves one position ahead of Sir John Walker’s long-standing mark of 1m 44.92s set at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games, and he now looms as the nearest challenger to the iconic 62-year-old national record of 1m 44.3s set by Snell in Christchurch.
Preston, who carved 0.43s from his previous 800m best set in 2022, said: “I didn’t have a time in mind, the goal was to go out and drop Sam, and make it hard for him. Without wishing to sound overly arrogant, I knew I was capable of running something faster. We didn’t get that right opportunity.
“Last season, I was incredibly disappointed with my season, I felt like I let of people down, so coming into the season, Evan [Cooper, coach] and I put in a really good plan and we brought in a few other people to the team; nothing majorly different but better at everything.”
In yesterday’s most anticipated field event showdown, Jacko Gill successfully defended his shot put title by beating Tom Walsh for the second year in a row.
Gill’s best of 21.57m, recorded in the second round, was enough to topple former world champion Walsh by 6cm. Walsh, who won silver at the world indoor championships with 22.07m two weeks ago, managed a best of 21.51cm yesterday.
Pole vaulter Eliza McCartney continued her good form from the silver earned at the world indoor championships. She was thrilled to clear 4.80m in Glasgow two weeks ago and followed that with 4.70m to win at Newtown Park yesterday.
Sprinter Zoe Hobbs eased to an eighth 100m national title in 11.13s. Brooke Somerfield was second in 11.55s and Portia Bing, who normally competes in the 400m hurdles, was third in 11.67s.
Hobbs holds the national record of 10.97s set last year but said after not running many 100m races this season and coming off a lot of travel, including fourth in the 60m at the world indoor championships, she thought her time was “pretty solid”.
Tiaan Whelpton powered to a successful retention of his 100m title, crossing in 10.38s to maintain his status as New Zealand’s fastest man.
Maddi Wesche achieved her longest ever distance in New Zealand to win her fifth national women’s shot put title with a best of 19.43m.
The 24-year-old Aucklander just two weeks earlier had produced the best performance of her career with 19.62m to place fourth at the world indoor championships.