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The 2026 Potts Classic kicked off athletics’ Summer Circuit in electric style, with the headline showdown between Sam Ruthe and Sam Tanner living up to the pre-race excitement as both men dipped under the one-minute 46 seconds barrier for the first time over 800 metres.
Ruthe’s run last Saturday at Hastings broke the under-17, U18, U19, and U20 national 800m records again.
He previously broke the four records at the 2025 NZ secondary schools track and field championships on the same Mitre10 Sports Park track.
Ruthe’s performance also sees him achieve the 2026 world indoor championships entry standard of 1:45.90, with last Saturday’s performance now having him in contention for New Zealand team selection.
Tiaan Whelpton and Zoe Hobbs affirmed their sprint dominance, taking out the inaugural NZ Short Track Championships over 60m.
Conditions were chilly and blustery, putting a dampener on the times, with Hobbs clocking a 7.29 seconds 60m and Whelpton running a 6.80s into headwinds.
Bri Stephenson took line honours in the 60m hurdles, claiming the first NZ Short Track Championships title in the event.
Stephenson recently achieved the 6000 points level for the first time in the heptathlon, achieving a 2026 Commonwealth Games A performance standard.
World champion, Lisa Adams, was back in the shot circle in New Zealand for the first time since her win at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships. She won on Saturday with a 12.61m put.
A 2025 world champs’ representative, Nick Palmer, was dominant in the men’s shot, with his winning throw of 19.60m over a metre clear of Blessing Sefo in second with an 18.18m best.
The Summer Circuit next heads to Whanganui for the 2026 Pak’nSave Cooks International Classic this Saturday, January 24, where Ruthe and Tanner will go head-to-head again, in the New Zealand Mile Championships.
