The Agency 10000 Metres Festival lights up Newtown Park
The first major meeting under lights at Newtown Park saw two national titles determined and a pending ratification new World record for one of NZ’s leading masters athletes – Sally Gibbs, the 60-year-old Whanganui-based athlete was clocked a a masters W60 record time of 37:38.98 breaking Bernie Portenski’s 2010 time of 39:04.23. Gibbs now looks to hold the W45, W50 and W55 and W60 records.
Agency 10,000m Festival event included the 2023 NZ 10,000m championship for Senior and Masters athletes. 75 athletes,toed the start line to run the 25 laps for the 10km across three races, while eleven young Under 20 women used ideal conditions to run 5km.
The national title was claimed by Oli Chignell in 29:28.58, took honours instead of pacemaking as in previous year . His time put him under the 29:30 for the 2024 World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia next year which he has accomplished previously. This adds to add his senior titles in the 5000m, cross country and 10km road. Ronan Lee was second in a PB 29:50.45 and Christopher Dryden third in 29:55.17. Nathan Tse, in 4th took the Wellington championship after being 3rd last year and recently at the national 10km road. Scottish pair Seamus Kane and Joel Carman took silver and bronze in AW Championships.
Katherine Camp, better known as record holder in the Capital over 800m, and national 800m and 1500m titles, took the women’s 10,000m title in 34:46.03. Deborah Lynch was second in 37:49.81, became the Wellington Champion
Scarlett Robb runner up in the U16 1500m and 3000m last season won the U20 5000m in a PB 17:18.44 (under the performance standard for the W20 2024 World Cross Country Championships of 17:25) from Wellington athletes and NZSS reps 
Ava Sutherland 17:47.56 and Lucy Jurke 17:56.72.
Division winner in the Community A race was won by Jamie Duncan in 33:37.38 who was 2nd Master behind Dan Clendon who ran in the elite race.
Earlier in the afternoon , Lucas Martin clocked 1:02:18.52 in the 10,000m race walk with Jacqueline Wilson (77) recording 1:11.09.94, a New Zealand masters W75 record.
