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RESULTS
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Tony Sargisson qualified for his third Commonwealth Games with an excellent performance in the 50km Walk at the New Zealand Long Distance Walks Championships on 23rd October.
Afterwards he was most enthusiastic about the venue for the event, and if he has anything to do with it, the Turners & Growers Coolstore complex at Whakatu will become the permanent venue for this competition. His enthusiasm was echoed by everyone involved.
The organiser, Jack Tregurtha was anticipating this reaction, and if he was given an unlimited budget to build something especially for this event, he doubts that he would have built anything to match this venue. Everything required is present, and is all of a very high standard. This venue could also be very attractive for a New Zealand Road Championship.
Entries in the Championship events were disappointing, with a number of absentees, but this was compensated by the introduction of user-friendly non-championship races. These races catered for both race walkers and those who were considering becoming race walkers. In these events the IAAF judging rules were used with the sole exception that no walkers were disqualified, but any who received three Red Cards were later reclassified as "Other Walkers". The Chief judge, Bruce Perry was most impressed with the standard of the newer walkers, and only two needed to be reclassified.
Results Championship Races
50km Walk
Men SM: T Sargisson 4:05:59, 1. M55: P Baillie 5:21:13, 1. Gary Little DNF
20km Walk
Women W55: C Bone 2:13:24, 1.
15km Walk
Women SW: M Lei 1:25:30, 1; C Malone 1:26:17, 2; W Healey 1:29:43, 3.
10km Walk
Women W16: K Mabbett 59:13, 1.
Non Championship Races
20km Walk
Men Open: G Burrell 1:34:29, 1; I Bailey 2:04:01, 2; K Waters 2:07:52, 3.
10km Walk
Women Open: R Crossan 1:02:00, 1; C Puts 1:06:12, 2; J Griffin 1:07:42, 3.
Men Open: G Jones 48:50 , A Lei 58:19, 2.
6km Walk
Women Open: D Cumming 51:12, 1.
Other Walkers
20km Walk
Women Open: V Lowl 2:04:03, 1.
10km Walk
Men Open: B O'Shea 1:13:59, 1.