New Zealand’s top athletes will go to battle against some of the best international talent at the International Track Meet in Christchurch this afternoon.
Many of New Zealand’s biggest names are heading to the Garden City — and most are tipped to be in Dunedin for the national track and field championships next month — and more than 60 internationals across the track and field.
Hamish Kerr, who was named sportsman of the year at the Halbergs this week, is back jumping in his home town and Dunedin’s Anna Grimaldi, who was named para athlete of the year at the Halbergs, will race in the 100m.
Three more Olympians are also competing. Zoe Hobbs is back in New Zealand for the 100m, Tom Walsh will be in action with the shot put and Lauren Bruce is lining up for the hammer throw and shot put.
Otago is well represented across the meet as well.
National long jump champion Felix McDonald (Taieri) will come up against some friendly faces with Ariki’s Shay Veitch and Hill City-University Luke Moffitt also in the field.
Veitch was in action at the Porritt Classic last weekend where he produced a jump of 7.56m. He will also race in the 200m, alongside Aspiring sprinter Hayato Yoneto, who will also compete in the 100m.
Hill City trio Cameron Moffitt, Todd Bradshaw and Toby Martin are in the men’s 110m hurdles, Taieri thrower Kieran Fowler will compete in the men’s shot put and discus and Queenstown runner James Weber has been in fine form ahead of the men’s open mile.
Hill City sprinter Freya Ferro is competing in the 60m, Queenstown’s Siena Mackely — who was named in the New Zealand secondary school team to tour the United States — will race in the women’s mile and Taieri thrower Zharna Bettie will line up for the discus.
Preparations are well under way for the national track and field championships in Dunedin on March 6-9, where most athletes competing this weekend in Christchurch will be in action.
