Walsh to lead athletics team to World Champs

An initial team of 18 athletes have been named by Athletics New Zealand to compete at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July.

Seven athletes led by shot put ace Tom Walsh, the 2017 world champion and 2019 World Championships bronze medallist, have achieved the entry standard.

The others are fellow shot putter Jacko Gill, Tokyo Olympic finalists Julia Ratcliffe (hammer) and Maddi Wesche (shot) plus sprinter Zoe Hobbs, who will be set for a second World Championship appearance having competed at the 2019 Doha edition.

Geordie Beamish (5000m) and Lauren Bruce (hammer) have also been selected and will make their World Championship debuts.

Eleven further athletes are conditionally selected subject to remaining eligible to be entered.

This includes World Indoor bronze medallist Hamish Kerr, who has not met the World Championship entry standard but meets the selection criteria based on his top 12 performance at the Tokyo Olympic Games and a high world ranking.

Ten athletes have earned conditional selection based on their world ranking within the 2022 World Championship qualification system known as the Road to Oregon.

Among the conditionally selected athletes include 400m hurdler Portia Bing, who could be set for her third World Championship appearance after making her debut as a heptathlete at the 2015 edition.

Portia Bing
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

New Zealand 100m champion Eddie Osei-Nketia would be set for a second World Championship appearance while conditionally selected athletes set to make their World Championship debut are women’s pole vault duo; Olivia McTaggart and Imogen Ayris, New Zealand javelin record-holder Tori Peeters and hammer thrower Nicole Bradley, who could join Ratcliffe and Bruce in providing a full complement of women’s hammer throwers.

Other conditionally selected athletes include national senior women’s high jump champion Keeley O’Hagan, men’s 800m duo; Brad Mathas and James Preston and New Zealand women’s 200m champion Georgia Hulls.

The final list of entries will be made on July 1.

World Championship team:

Women

Lauren Bruce (hammer)

Zoe Hobbs (100m)

Julia Ratcliffe (hammer)

Maddi Wesche (shot)

Men

Geordie Beamish (5000m)

Jacko Gill (shot)

Tom Walsh (shot)

Athletes Conditionally Selected

Women

Imogen Ayris (pole vault)

Portia Bing (400m hurdles)

Nicole Bradley (hammer)

Georgia Hulls (200m)

Olivia McTaggart (pole vault)

Keeley O’Hagan (high jump)

Tori Peeters (javelin)

Men

Hamish Kerr (high jump)

Brad Mathas (800m)

Eddie Osei-Nketia (100m)

James Preston (800m)