Jones to the four in masters athletics champs

The in-form Joeline Jones had a clean sweep in her four track sprints at the recent Oceania Masters Athletics Championships in Dunedin 20–27 January 2018 at the Caledonian Ground in the Logan Park complex.

In her 35-39 year age group she convincingly won her 60m (8.34s), 100m (13.28s), 200m (27.15) and 400m (61.94s) to collect four gold medals. She also won a bronze medal with her 4.30m long jump to cap off a successful champs.

Jones was the youngest member of the ten-person Tasman Masters team who took part in the biennel champs that are rotated around host cities in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific nations.

The Tasman team won a total of 35 individual medals – 12 golds, 13 silvers and 10 bronzes – plus another nine team medals in the cross country and half marathon team competitions, and the 4 x 100m and mixed medley relays that closed the track and field events.

After several years of not competing, Murray Hart had a very successful comeback medalling in eight of his nine individual events in his M60-64 age group.

He demonstrated his versatility when he won silvers in his 200m (29.45s) and javelin (23.71m), and bronzes in the 400m (64.57s) and long jump (4.11m) against specialist sprinters, throwers and jumpers.

In his more usual events he won golds in his 8km cross country (35:15.00) and 2000m steeplechase (8:03.79) and silvers in his 1500m (5:05.78) and 5000m (19:01.88). He was sixth in a highly competitive 1500m (5:05.78) which was won by world champion Ian Calder from Northland.

Kirsty Richmond (W40), despite being hampered by a leg injury, continued her good form from the SI Masters Track and Field champs in November and won three of her four field events – the high jump (1.30m), discus (22.03m) and javelin (23.38m). She was also second in her long jump (3.83m).

Tim Cross (M55) also has a successful champs in winning his 1500m (5: 08.47) with a well judged finish to take the lead in the home straight and also his 3000m steeplechase (12:52.56). He won bronze in his 8km cross country (34:34) and was a close fourth place in the 5000m.

Dave Riddle (M60) was another who had a full programme of events and came away with three bronze medals in his more favoured sprints – 60m (9.04s), 100m (14.61s), 200m (29.45s).

He was fourth in both his 400m (66.80s) and 5000m (21:43.22), fifth in his 1500m (5:37.64) and seventh in the same highly competitive 1500m race (5:37.64) with Hart. He also ran the half marathon (1:57:20.6) on the last day of the championships and won the silver medal in his age group. Robbie Barnes (M50) also won silver in the half marathon (1:28:39.0) in his only event at the champs.

As with the M60 age group there was also two Tasman Masters in the M65 age group who produced a one-two result for Tasman Masters in the 2000m steeplechase with Derek Shaw (9:00.56) claiming gold and Ian Morrison (9:19.77) the silver. In the 8k cross country Shaw won the bronze (37:50.60) and Morrison was fourth (39:07). Shaw also won a bronze in his 5000m (20:48.77) and silver in his 1500m (5:41.61). He was also fourth in his 800m (73.81s) and fifth in his 400m (73.81) behind four Australian short distance specialists.

In the race walking events Jim Kerse (M65) was second in both his 10000m road walk (1:22:53.00) and 5000m track walk (40:21.03) and third in the 3000m track walk. In her first serious race walk Claire McKenzie (W55) won silver with a very creditable time of 22:17.91. Unfortunately In his first race walking event Dave Riddell was disqualified in the 3000m track walk.

In the 4 x 100m relays Murray Hart and Dave Riddell were members of the gold medal winning New Zealand team in the 200 – 239 group. Derek Shaw was also in the New Zealand team that won silver in the 240+ 4 x 100m relay, while Tim Cross was in the NZ team that was third.

In the medley relay 200-239 group Murray Hart was a member of the winning NZ team and Dave Riddell was a member of the winning 240+ NZ team. Riddell also won a silver team medal in the M60-69 age group in the half marathon to finish with 3 team medals.