Zoe Hobbs competing in Melbourne in 2024. Photo: suppled / Athletics NZ / Alisha Lovrich
Sprinter Zoe Hobbs, discus thrower Connor Bell and highjumper Hamish Kerr all scored wins at the Melbourne Continental Gold meeting.
In the most prestigious one-day meet in Oceania, Hobbs repelled the late-charging Torrie Lewis to secure top spot in the 100m, clocking 11.34 (-1.2) to inflict defeat on the Australian sprint prodigy by a victory margin of 0.06.
Much of the pre-race attention had been thrust on Lewis following her national record time of 11.10 last month in Canberra, but benefiting from a dazzling start and blistering first 60m Hobbs could not be denied.
Hobbs said: "It's so good to have this level of competition this close to home, especially with Torrie (Lewis) who broke the Aussie record a couple of weeks back. Although it's not the time I was after, I'm just happy to bank the win and definitely some positives to take away from tonight. I'm glad to have nailed down the first half of the race, especially as it's leading into the indoor season."
For the second time in five days Connor Bell inflicted defeat on Australia's Commonwealth Games champion Matt Denny to lay down another significant marker in the men's discus.
The 23-year-old World Championship finalist seized early control of the competition with a 65.18m effort in round one and despite Denny, a fourth-place finisher at the 2020 Olympics and 2023 World Championships, throwing some heavy punches the Aucklander would not be dislodged from top spot.
New Zealand's Hamish Kerr competes in the men's high jump final during the Diamond League athletics meeting in Zurich, 2023. Photo: AFP
Commonwealth champion Hamish Kerr warmed up for a crack at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow next month with a comfortable victory with a best of 2.25m in the high jump.
Kerr opened his night requiring a second time clearance at 2.17m before soaring over both 2.21m and 2.25m with his first jump at each height. He then attempted a season's best of 2.30m - and although his first attempt in particular was strong, the 2022 World Indoor bronze medallist had to settle for a best of 2.25m - 2cm shy of his season's best.
"I'm stoked with the victory," said Kerr. "It is awesome to come over here and compete with some slightly bigger boys than I was back in New Zealand. I think I'm in a good place but there is still some work to do before World Indoors. I'm going to have to step up because the boys are raring to go over there. But at the same time, I'm happy with where I'm at and between now and then I hope to find a few more centimetres and be ready to go by (World) indoors."
Tori Peeters was second in the women's javelin with a season's best of 57.35m.
New Zealand champion Sam Tanner placed fourth in a high-class John Landy Mile - one of the marquee events of the night - as the Kiwi registered a season's best of 3:53.16.
Josh Hawkins executed a solid effort against a strong Australian field to finish fourth in a season's best of 14.00 (0.0) in the men's 110m hurdles.
Keeley O'Hagan equalled her season's best to clear 1.80m and place joint fourth in the women's high jump.
In the women's 5000m, Rebekah Aitkenhead, the New Zealand mile champion, carved almost nine seconds from her lifetime best to run 15:47.92 to place 14th one place ahead of her compatriot Laura Nagel.
James Preston putting together another quality display to win the men's 800m in 1:46.02.
Georgia Hulls was edged into second by just 0.01 recording 23.64 (-2.9) to finish a hair's breadth behind Australia's Jessica Milat in the 200m.
Paralympic long jump T47 champion Anna Grimaldi, who last year also snared World Para 100m bronze, enjoyed a good all-round night by sprinting to a time of 12.89 (-1.3) to place fourth on world record percentage with 92.24% in the women's 100m.
