Revival?

With the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha quickly approaching, Athletics finds itself in the invidious position of having possibly four qualifiers in the Men’s Marathon. Only three can be selected! I’m trying to recall the last occasion when New Zealand had more than 3 qualified athletes in the one event available for selection at a major Championships or Games. Currently, (2:08:26) and (2:13:51) have been selected for the Marathon in Doha. The IAAF/ANZ Qualifying time is 2:16:00. At the recent Gold Coast Marathon, both (2:08:19) and (2:15:36) both ran faster than the qualifying time required for selection. Both Zane and Jake Robertson have also been selected for the 10000m – hence that leaves a dilemma for the selectors in which three athletes will contest the marathon in Doha. The Gold Coast Marathon last month produced three New Zealand athletes who ran faster than 2:17, and one must ask if this was the fastest (composite team) marathon for three New Zealand athletes. Here is how it looked:

Gold Coast Marathon – July 2019

Zane Robertson 2:08:19

Caden Shields 2:15:36

Daniel Jones 2:16:15 Total 6:40:10 (2:13:23 average) Although impressive, there have been at least four other composite team performances by three New Zealand athletes in the same race that have run an average time of under 2:14. For example:

New York 1983

Rod Dixon 2:08:59

Derek Froude 2:11:25

Kevin Ryan 2:12:53

Total 6:33:17 (2:11:06 average)

Wiri 1981

Kevin Ryan 2:12:11

Don Greig 2:13:50

Gary Palmer 2:14:03

Total 6:40.04 (2:13:21 average) Eugene 1979

Dick Quax 2:11:13

Paul Ballinger 2:14:08

Don Greig 2:15:14

Total 6:40:35 (2:13:31 average)

Commonwealth Games 1974

Jack Foster 2:11:18

Terry Manners 2:12:58

John Robinson 2:17:05 Total 6:41:21 (2:13:47average)

It has, however, taken 36 years, for New Zealand to produce three/four Marathon runners who can challenge for the right to represent New Zealand and hopefully to produce a composite team performance that is better than their counterparts produced in New York in 1983.