International Track Meet – Continental Tour Bronze in Christchurch
The Continental Tour returns to New Zealand for the penultimate meet of the New Zealand Summer Circuit, with Christchurch set to host a strong mix of homegrown talent and international contenders. Ranking points and qualification standards are on the line as athletes build momentum towards the 2026 Commonwealth Games, World Indoor Championships and World Under 20 Championships.
Oceania record holder and World Indoor champion Tom Walsh steps back into the shot circle, joined by Oceania champion Nick Palmer. Both men have already pushed beyond 20 metres this season and will be looking to sharpen their form again on home soil.
The Para throws programme brings together some of the best in the world. Lisa Adams, a world champion and world record holder in her classification, headlines a quality field. She will be joined by world Para medallist Holly Robinson and emerging talent Lauren Blackmore, setting up strong contests across multiple classifications.
In the 100 metres, Tiaan Whelpton arrives in form. Sitting third on the 2026 world top lists, he recently equalled his New Zealand resident’s record in Auckland and lines up again with confidence. A deep group of national contenders including Shay Veitch, Tommy Te Puni and Lex Revell-Lewis will keep the pressure on as New Zealand’s sprint stocks continue to build depth.
Over 200 metres, the women’s field is stacked. National record holder and World Championships representative Rosie Elliott returns to the track, joined by Brooke Somerfield, Jordyn Blake, Samantha Lathwood, Mia De Jager, Briana Stephenson and Maddie Wilson. With multi event athletes and pure sprinters in the mix, the race promises to be one of the highlights of the evening.
On the track, 2024 Paralympic champion Anna Grimaldi lines up in the T47 event alongside World Para Athletics Championships representative Sarah James in the T53 class, adding further quality to the Para programme.
In the discus circle, Australian Olympian Taryn Gollshewsky leads the women’s field following her recent win at the Perth Track Classic. She will be looking to carry that form across the Tasman.
The meeting also hosts the New Zealand 3000 metre Championships, with both men’s and women’s fields led by World Cross Country Championships representatives William Little and Tillie Hollyer.
An afternoon filled with more events across the track and field program to get aths fans excited, check out the full entries via Athletics Live
Fans can attend at Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub in Christchurch, with tickets available through the Athletics New Zealand website. The meeting will be broadcast on TVNZ+ within New Zealand, while international audiences can follow live results via AthleticLive.
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