Three NZ Masters Track Walk Records Broken in One Race

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MEDIA RELEASE:
15 October, 2011

Three NZ Masters Track Walk Records Broken in One Race


Three New Zealand Masters 10km track walk records have been broken at the opening athletics event at the NZCT South Island Masters Games in Nelson today.

The NZCT South Island Masters Games 2011, supported by the Nelson City Council and the NZ Community Trust, is being held in Nelson for the first time from 15 – 23 October. Three thousand athletes aged over 30 years old will compete across 50 sports in-front of more than 1,500 spectators, making it one of the largest participation events in the South Island. In perfect Spring conditions, three Nelson walkers broke their respective age group 10 km Track Walk records this morning at the Saxton Field Athletics Track.

Wendy Healy smashed the 35-39 year old age group record (72 19.0) by 16 minutes, which had been held by Katie Tahere since 2009. Wendy’s time was 56 16.97. Wendy says she felt really great the whole way. “I was feeling really good - it was just like going out for a Sunday walk,” Healy says. “My goal was to achieve under 57 minutes and I did that, which is great. This week I am also doing the 5km and 10km events and the Half Marathon, so I am going to enjoy a night off tonight and then focus on tomorrow and the rest of the week.”

Nyle Sunderland completed the 10km walk this morning in 56 34.65, breaking Gillian MacDougall’s record (57 38.0) in the 40-44 year old age group by 1 min and 4 secs. Gillian had held the record since 2003. Nyle says she is absolutely ecstatic. “I am really rapt that I have done so well this morning,” Sunderland says. “My coach said to pick a pace today and stay with it, so I had 57 minutes in my mind, and I was under that pace the whole way round.

My next personal goal is a 20km trial walk in two weeks time, so this was a great training walk.”

Neroli Amyes broke the 55 -59 year old age group record (60 00.35) achieved last year by Sue Hoskin. Her time was 57 30.72. She says she went a lot faster than expected. “Time for me was a bit of an unknown factor because I haven’t raced for so long, so I am really pleased with how I did,” Amyes says. “There was a lot of support on the track and I kept really focused because we are closely judged in walk races.”

Athletics event organiser Derek Shaw says having three records broken by Nelsonians was a great way to mark Nelson’s first ever South Island Masters Games.

“We had 12 walkers compete in the 3000m, then Wendy, Nyle and Neroli continued on to complete 10km and break the New Zealand Masters records,” Shaw says. “For much of it Wendy and Nyle were neck in neck, which made it very exciting. We knew early on in the race that they were making really good time, so it was just fantastic. Well done to all the athletes.” 2 Meanwhile, the following walkers won the 3000m race:

60-64 year old Women: Rosalind Dagnilli from Nelson

65-69 year old Women: Marion McIntosh from Nelson

55-59 year old Men: Ross Mitchell from Nelson

60-64 year old Men: Keith Rutherford from Rakaia

65-69 year old Men: Murray Williams from Nelson

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See http://www.nzmastersathletics.org.nz/Records/records.html for more detail - ends-

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