James Preston (R) leads Sam Tanner during the men's 800m at the national track and field championships in Wellington. Photo: Athletics NZ
Wellington middle-distance runner James Preston delivered a statement win at the national track and field championships, which leaves him ranked behind only the legendary Sir Peter Snell over 800m.
Preston unleashed a brilliant display of two-lap running to crack one minute 45 second for the first time in his career and climbed to number two on the all-time New Zealand rankings on day two of the championships in Wellington on Friday night.
Defying heavy rainn, Preston recorded 1:44.87, which was within 0.17sec of the automatic Paris Olympic entry standard.
New Zealand 1500m, mile and 3000m champion Sam Tanner had to settle for silver in 1:47.70.
In one of the most eagerly awaited races of the championships, Preston blasted through the first 400m in 50.5sec with Tanner in close pursuit.
However, down the back stretch on the final lap, Preston's long raking stride extended his advantage and by the time he entered the straight it was the 26-year-old against the clock.
Preston moves one position ahead of Sir John Walker's long-standing mark of 1:44.92 set at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games, and he now looms as the nearest challenger to the iconic 62-year-old national record of 1:44.3 set by Snell in Christchurch.
Preston, who carved 0.43 from his previous 800m best set in 2022, said: "I didn't have a time in mind, the goal was to go out and drop Sam, and make it hard for him.
"Without wishing to sound overly arrogant I knew I was capable of running something faster. We didn't get that right opportunity," he said.
"Last season I was incredibly disappointed with my season, I felt like I let of people down so coming into the season Evan (Cooper his coach) and I put in a really good plan and we brought in a few other people to the team. Nothing majorly different but better at everything."
Hobbs too quick
Earlier, Sprinter Zoe Hobbs eased to an eighth 100 metre national title in 11.13 seconds.
Brooke Somerfield was second in 11.55 seconds and Portia Bing, who normally competes in 400m hurdles, was third in 11.67 seconds for her first medal of the National Championships.
Hobbs holds the national record time of 10.97 seconds set last year but said after not running many 100m races this season and coming off a lot of travel, including to the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow this month, she thought her time was "pretty solid".
Zoe Hobbs at Newtown Park Photo: Barry Guy
After her record setting time at the same meet last season, Hobbs said she was not expecting a repeat.
"It's a bit of a unique year, because I've training through this period and not put a lot of emphasis and focus into this block of the year ... lay some solid foundations and then look for the long run lead in to Paris, so all eyes on later in the year, and anything that happens in this block has been a bonus, including the world indoors."
Hobbs has gained an Olympic qualifying standard, but the first Olympic selection announcement for Paris will be made by the New Zealand Olympic Committee in April.
"This will be my first Olympics so that in itself is really really exciting to be up for."
Zoe Hobbs talking to fans at Newtown Park. Photo: Barry Guy
Hobbs had expected Wellington to turn on "thunderstorms" for the meet at Newtown Park.
"I packed three bags for the rain and cold so it's nice that the sun came out."
With Olympics on her mind, Hobbs will not be competing in the 200m at nationals - or at all before Paris.
Hobbs has a rest week next week before she returns to working on some technical changes she had made to her racing over the last couple of months.
She has a race in Japan in May and will also be competing in Europe.
World Para 100m silver medallist Danielle Aitchison finished sixth in a time of 13.41 to set a personal best and national women's T36 record time to further cement her outstanding form in 2024.
Tiaan Whelpton powered to a successful retention of his senior men's 100m title, crossing the finish line in 10.38sec to maintain his status as New Zealand's fastest man.
Maddi Wesche popped out her longest ever distance in New Zealand to win her fifth national women's shot put title with a best of 19.43m.
The 24-year-old Aucklander just two weeks earlier had produced the best performance of her career with a 19.62m throw to place fourth at the world indoor championships in Glasgow.
Day three of the championships features world indoor silver medallists Eliza McCartney (pole vault) and Tom Walsh shot).