Cool Running Webwatch:-

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Kelly Holmes has been chosen for both the 800m and 1500m at next month's
European Indoor Championships - despite not yet confirming her availability.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/4286713.stm

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Women's World indoor 1000m record bid in Madrid
Wednesday 23 February 2005

http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=28644.html

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Subject: Paul Hamblyn becomes New Zealand's 29th sub four miler
Date: Thu, February 24, 2005 11:42 am
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Paul Hamblyn of North Harbour became the 29th New Zealander to break four
minutes for the mile, with a time of 3m 58.41s at Ericsson Athletic
Stadium, on Wednesday evening.
Competing at the annual John Walker night of miles Hamblyn went neck and
neck over the final 100m with Australian Mark Tucker who just pipped him
on the finishing line in 3m 58.37s.
Raced in ideal conditions and with perfect pacing, Hamblyn was set to
crack the barrier after passing the three quarters in three minutes.
"I felt good with a lap to go and I am much stronger than last season, so
I knew that a sub four time was on," said an elated Hamblyn.
It was the first race of the season for the 24 year old Hamblyn.
"My last two work outs were good, it has been a long time coming, but I
knew it was there. I will be leaving in June for another European
campaign," he said.
Before then Hamblyn has an important outing at the national track and
field championships in Wanganui next month, where he will go for his third
national 1500m title in a row.
Former world mile record holder and 1976 Olympic Games 1500m gold
medallist John Walker was on hand to watch and said that he is sure that
Hamblyn will run much faster.
"It was a competitive even race and Paul still has a lot there for a
faster time," said Walker.
"A sub four minute mile means a lot to most people," added Walker.
Hamblyn becomes New Zealand's 15th fastest miler on a list headed by
Walker with 3m 49.08s.
The John Walker junior mile went to last year's winner and winner of the
John L. Davies memorial trophy in Hamilton last Saturday, Shafat Salad of
Waikato in 4m 11.50s. Salad finished with a 59.47s last lap to beat Terefe
Ejigu of Wellington, who recorded 4m 12.30s.
Result:
1 Mark Tucker (Australia) 3m 58.37s
2 Paul Hamblyn (Bays Cougars) 3m 58.41s
3 Collis Birmingham (Australia) 4m 02.46s
4 Stu Kerr (Bays Cougars) 4m 02.84s
5 Ben Ruthe (Bays Cougars) 4m 06.45s
6 Rees Buck (Scottish) 4m 08.44s
Junior Mile
1 Shafat Salad (Waikato) 4m 11.50s
2 Terefe Ejigu (Wellington) 4m 12.30s
3 Lewis Jenkin (Athletics North) 4m 13.54s
4 Matthew Mildenhall (Auckland) 4m 14.13s
5 Leyden Tolhurst (Auckland) 4m 15.12s
6 Tim Hodge (Wellington) 4m 16.32s
Murray McKinnon
Communications Advisor
Athletics New Zealand
09 525 6534
0274 806 086

Geoff Henry
e-mail: ghenry@...
Tel/Fax: ++64-4-388 3536

Thanks to Ian Kemp for this story.

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Regards

Doug Fry


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