September 20, 2025 • 12 mins
New Zealand is currently a staggering 5th on the medal table at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Shot-putter Maddi Wesche has earned bronze to ensure New Zealand's biggest-ever haul at the event.
Former track and field athlete Sarah Cowley-Ross joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalk.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Zed b hamous Kerr with high jump gold, Jordy Beamish
with three thousand meter steeple chase gold, and Maddi Weshy
with shot put bronze overnight. As well as that Tom
Walsh was fourth in the men's shot put with the
season's best twenty one point nine to four meters. There
were three kiwis Eliza McCartney, Olivia McTaggart and Imogen Eiras
(00:33):
in the women's pole vault final, with Olivia mctaggett the
best of them in eighth position. Zoey Hobbs just missed
the final of the women's one hundred meters but finished
with a ranking of twelfth in the world. Tory Morby
was seventh in the women's javelin final overnight, and Connor
Bell competes in the men's discus final tonight. It's quite
(00:53):
the list. Let's bring in twenty twelve Olympian and two
time Commonwealth Games heptathlete, now broadcaster, writer and track and
field analyst Sarah Cawley Ross. Sarah three medals, two gold,
fifth on the medal table. Did you see this coming?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
I didn't see as high up on the medal table,
that's for sure. It's been an amazing week for track
and field in New Zealand and I think Jordy Beamish,
you know that from the start out of the blocks
just set the tone really and the rest of the
team have all risen to the occasion.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Let's go to Jordi Beamish. How much did you enjoy
seeing him win gold in the three thousand meter steeple
chase after falling and being trodden on and qualifying.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
I loved it so much because the thing about Jordi
he was in such good shape last year and so
to have not been in the form which he knew
he was in in Paris was absolutely devastating. So to
see him come out and show the world what he
can do, and really the race fell into his hands
(01:56):
because it was so slow and pedestrian and as every
lap went round it was like, wow, this has been
set up for Beamish. He is well known for having
the best cac in the world and it will have
said it in the week no one will beat him
in that situation and it showed Albakrley two time Olympic champion,
two time world champion.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
He was punching his face second disbelief.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
And Jordy Beamish won fifteen hundred meters indoor World Championship
gold last year. He couldn't do both the fifteen hundred
meters and the three thousand steeples. Good he going forward
well and an Olympic Games for example.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Well, the thing with Jordie is in twenty twenty three
he made the decision to go to steeples. He's actually
our national five thousand meter record holder. He's run thirteen
o nine outdoors, he's run faster indoors and he ran
that last year. So he's got the ability at five
k and he's got the ability at fifteen hundred. What
(02:56):
he is very he's very smart and strategic and he's done.
He said, hey, log three thousand is the sweet spot
over the steeples, let's go.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
And you know what that.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Decision paid off. You know in twenty twenty three he
will finish fifth in the World Championship final and then
obviously has got the championship. Now, I don't think people
quite comprehend how much of a stronghold the African continent
has had on this event until this Kiwi bloke off
the farm and Havelock North has come and shown up
(03:31):
the world.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Absolutely brilliant goal too for high jumpahmish Kerr equalling as
PB of two thirty six. Sir, he's talked about clearing
two forty, even chasing the world record of two forty five,
which has stood since nineteen ninety three. Is that realistic?
Speaker 4 (03:46):
I think.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
I think the intermediate goal for me is the outright
area record because currently he holds that with Tim Forsyth
of Australia, so they both jointly hold that at two
meters thirty six, which was the same height he won
earlier in the week. So I think that's the next
mile stone two forty. You know, when you get to
(04:08):
those heights, you only you can't see the bar height
change that much in terms of as you're visually citing
the bar where you're like, wow, it's high.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
So I don't So to answer your question, yes, I
think it's possible for hamosh Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Having three New Zealanders in a World Championship final in
any event, it's pretty special. We had Eliza McCAT and
the Olivia mctaggett and imagineris all in the women's pole
vault final. How have we become so prominent in women's
pole vault?
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Well, I think we were very lucky in terms of
the early stage development of these three athletes, the facilities
that they were exposed to at such a young age,
and actually the talent transfer for a couple of them
at Taggett and Heiras from gymnastics. We found out about
(05:03):
Eliza in twenty sixteen with that credible bonds, and I
think then that inspired this next generation which McTaggart and
ers are in. Now we're seeing the fruits of that
environment coaching and also exposure of belief from your mates,
your training mates seeing them clear high bars. So that
(05:26):
is a phenomenal achievement and I think that they'll be
really happy with that. Obviously, just hugely devastating for Eliza
to have to retire, and she knows if she is
fit and healthy, she is well capable of taking these titles.
But I really hope that her body and her mind
(05:47):
plays ball in the years to come.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Could any of the three of them contend for the
Olympic podium in la in twenty twenty eight Well.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
The pub hasn't shifted so much in recent years in
the heights that generally win. So if you are for
eighty plus you are going to be right in the mix.
You know four nine he won the other night four
ninety five at four ninety. If you're at that bar
in the right, getting those heights on the first attempt,
(06:16):
you will be well in the mixer. So McTaggart has
probably had the best breakthrough season in terms of winning
the London Diamond League. Her personal best now is four
seventy three, so she will be looking to make that
next jump into the four eighties, which we'll see her
right in the mix come la.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Just before we leave the pole vault, Swedish superstar Mondo
de plant Is clared six point thirty in Tokyo, his
fourteenth world record. Incredible. Can you put into context just
how special what he is doing is.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
He has taken the whole sport, not just pole vault,
but the sport of athletics to an extra level. And
what he is doing is elevating pole volt into heights
that people just never imagined. And what I love about
Mondo is that every time he's a showman, he but
(07:09):
he delivers. And for him to have that pressure on
him every time to go, oh, well, you know, all
these people are showing up, the world is watching. You know,
probably he's going to jump a world record, but it's
actually so much harder than it just and then it
sounds like me just spouting that off what he is doing,
the speed he is running in with with this long pole,
(07:29):
having to accurately place it in the pot in the
box and then basically you've got two pendulums happening, the
pole going round over the jumping box and then the
mondo going around the pole.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
And six meters thirty.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
It is so high and he's able to execute this
and just deliver it once again. You know, he's got
a world record bonus from World Athletics, but he's doing
very well from his other commercial endorsements as well. But
it's great to see because he's entertainer and he's delivering
when it counts.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Totally remarked, you're very close with Zoe Hobbs. She missed
the one hundred meter final eleven one six in her heat,
you around eleven o nine in her semi. Missing the finals,
I say, finishing twelfth in the world. How will Zoe
Hobbs be feeling about that.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
I think she's gutted.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
She's definitely gutted to not make the final, but I
think that she's really trying to make that transition from
semi finalists now into the final.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
That's a really tough ass.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
You're talking about hundreds thousands of a second where you
need to execute, and I know that her team have
put an extra emphasis on that semi final race in
terms of the preparation they put in this year to
make that next jump.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
You know, twelve fast in the world.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
She's disappointed, but there's only eleven other women in the
world who are faster than her, and I think New
Zealand needs to really realize that and really realize what
a phenomenal athlete Zoe Hobbs is.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Now.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Hopefully she'll the next jump up and this campaign will
have taught her and her team so much, and I
think we'll see another version of Zoe come out in
the next few years as she builds to LA can't wait.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Maddi Wishy Olympic silver last year, now World Championship bronze
new PB of twenty four to zero six meters. She's
only twenty six. Dame Valerie Adams will still winning gold
medals in her thirties and Olympic bronze when she was
thirty six years old. What do you predict for Maddi.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Wishy Maddie Wishi delivers at major championships once again, she
has thrown an equal personal best in the heat of
the moment, and I just think that she is such
a competitor and ever since she won her World Junior
title and that brilliant silver last year in Paris, you
(09:54):
know she is able to at a major championship, get
physically prepared to be able to do it, but mentally
switch on and you know she's got a long career
ahead of her if she wants it. And I think
hats off to her and her coach Matt Mike Schofield,
because that was a great competition. I think they're pretty
gutted that they didn't get the gold, but actually no
(10:16):
one can take away from the fact that she's a
World Championship bronze medalist.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
And just a word on Tory Morby as well. I
was at a function a couple of months ago and
I heard her speak and I was really impressed by
her seventh in the women's javelin overnight didn't really get
close to her PB. Is seventh a good result for
her or will she be disappointed with that?
Speaker 4 (10:36):
It's a really good result for Tory.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
This is the first time that she's made the Championship final,
and I think that that for her in itself is
another step forward. I think the way that the competition
works in terms of the top ten getting another two throw,
then top eight and then top six, she's pretty gutted
to not get into that final top six that she
(10:59):
got bumped in that last and that penultimate round. Yes,
you need to be throwing great distance in that final
throw and in the final, which we saw her great
throw in qualifying. So I think overall, seventh is actually
a very good.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Result for her.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Always enjoy your terrific track and field analysis, Sarah, Thanks
so much for joining us this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Thanks Piney, and thanks to everyone who's tuned in and
support the Kyis in Tokyo this week.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
It's been awesome.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
It has been awesome. I've loved it. Thanks indeed, Sarah.
Sarah Caley Ross there with some great analysis on New
Zealand's performances at the World Track and Field Champs in Tokyo.
Won to go Connor Bell in the discus final tonight,
but regardless of how he goes it will still be
among our most successful. In fact, by medals our most
successful World Track and Field Champs golds to Hamishkurre and
(11:48):
Jordie Beamish and the bronze to Maddy Wish. Looking forward
to seeing how they and many of our other athletes
go over the next little while, Commonwealth Games next year
of course, and then on towards the Olympics in La
in twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalk.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Zed b hamous Kerr with high jump gold, Jordy Beamish
with three thousand meter steeple chase gold, and Maddi Weshy
with shot put bronze overnight. As well as that Tom
Walsh was fourth in the men's shot put with the
season's best twenty one point nine to four meters. There
were three kiwis Eliza McCartney, Olivia McTaggart and Imogen Eiras
(00:33):
in the women's pole vault final, with Olivia mctaggett the
best of them in eighth position. Zoey Hobbs just missed
the final of the women's one hundred meters but finished
with a ranking of twelfth in the world. Tory Morby
was seventh in the women's javelin final overnight, and Connor
Bell competes in the men's discus final tonight. It's quite
(00:53):
the list. Let's bring in twenty twelve Olympian and two
time Commonwealth Games heptathlete, now broadcaster, writer and track and
field analyst Sarah Cawley Ross. Sarah three medals, two gold,
fifth on the medal table. Did you see this coming?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
I didn't see as high up on the medal table,
that's for sure. It's been an amazing week for track
and field in New Zealand and I think Jordy Beamish,
you know that from the start out of the blocks
just set the tone really and the rest of the
team have all risen to the occasion.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Let's go to Jordi Beamish. How much did you enjoy
seeing him win gold in the three thousand meter steeple
chase after falling and being trodden on and qualifying.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
I loved it so much because the thing about Jordi
he was in such good shape last year and so
to have not been in the form which he knew
he was in in Paris was absolutely devastating. So to
see him come out and show the world what he
can do, and really the race fell into his hands
(01:56):
because it was so slow and pedestrian and as every
lap went round it was like, wow, this has been
set up for Beamish. He is well known for having
the best cac in the world and it will have
said it in the week no one will beat him
in that situation and it showed Albakrley two time Olympic champion,
two time world champion.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
He was punching his face second disbelief.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
And Jordy Beamish won fifteen hundred meters indoor World Championship
gold last year. He couldn't do both the fifteen hundred
meters and the three thousand steeples. Good he going forward
well and an Olympic Games for example.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Well, the thing with Jordie is in twenty twenty three
he made the decision to go to steeples. He's actually
our national five thousand meter record holder. He's run thirteen
o nine outdoors, he's run faster indoors and he ran
that last year. So he's got the ability at five
k and he's got the ability at fifteen hundred. What
(02:56):
he is very he's very smart and strategic and he's done.
He said, hey, log three thousand is the sweet spot
over the steeples, let's go.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
And you know what that.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Decision paid off. You know in twenty twenty three he
will finish fifth in the World Championship final and then
obviously has got the championship. Now, I don't think people
quite comprehend how much of a stronghold the African continent
has had on this event until this Kiwi bloke off
the farm and Havelock North has come and shown up
(03:31):
the world.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Absolutely brilliant goal too for high jumpahmish Kerr equalling as
PB of two thirty six. Sir, he's talked about clearing
two forty, even chasing the world record of two forty five,
which has stood since nineteen ninety three. Is that realistic?
Speaker 4 (03:46):
I think.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
I think the intermediate goal for me is the outright
area record because currently he holds that with Tim Forsyth
of Australia, so they both jointly hold that at two
meters thirty six, which was the same height he won
earlier in the week. So I think that's the next
mile stone two forty. You know, when you get to
(04:08):
those heights, you only you can't see the bar height
change that much in terms of as you're visually citing
the bar where you're like, wow, it's high.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
So I don't So to answer your question, yes, I
think it's possible for hamosh Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Having three New Zealanders in a World Championship final in
any event, it's pretty special. We had Eliza McCAT and
the Olivia mctaggett and imagineris all in the women's pole
vault final. How have we become so prominent in women's
pole vault?
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Well, I think we were very lucky in terms of
the early stage development of these three athletes, the facilities
that they were exposed to at such a young age,
and actually the talent transfer for a couple of them
at Taggett and Heiras from gymnastics. We found out about
(05:03):
Eliza in twenty sixteen with that credible bonds, and I
think then that inspired this next generation which McTaggart and
ers are in. Now we're seeing the fruits of that
environment coaching and also exposure of belief from your mates,
your training mates seeing them clear high bars. So that
(05:26):
is a phenomenal achievement and I think that they'll be
really happy with that. Obviously, just hugely devastating for Eliza
to have to retire, and she knows if she is
fit and healthy, she is well capable of taking these titles.
But I really hope that her body and her mind
(05:47):
plays ball in the years to come.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Could any of the three of them contend for the
Olympic podium in la in twenty twenty eight Well.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
The pub hasn't shifted so much in recent years in
the heights that generally win. So if you are for
eighty plus you are going to be right in the mix.
You know four nine he won the other night four
ninety five at four ninety. If you're at that bar
in the right, getting those heights on the first attempt,
(06:16):
you will be well in the mixer. So McTaggart has
probably had the best breakthrough season in terms of winning
the London Diamond League. Her personal best now is four
seventy three, so she will be looking to make that
next jump into the four eighties, which we'll see her
right in the mix come la.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Just before we leave the pole vault, Swedish superstar Mondo
de plant Is clared six point thirty in Tokyo, his
fourteenth world record. Incredible. Can you put into context just
how special what he is doing is.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
He has taken the whole sport, not just pole vault,
but the sport of athletics to an extra level. And
what he is doing is elevating pole volt into heights
that people just never imagined. And what I love about
Mondo is that every time he's a showman, he but
(07:09):
he delivers. And for him to have that pressure on
him every time to go, oh, well, you know, all
these people are showing up, the world is watching. You know,
probably he's going to jump a world record, but it's
actually so much harder than it just and then it
sounds like me just spouting that off what he is doing,
the speed he is running in with with this long pole,
(07:29):
having to accurately place it in the pot in the
box and then basically you've got two pendulums happening, the
pole going round over the jumping box and then the
mondo going around the pole.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
And six meters thirty.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
It is so high and he's able to execute this
and just deliver it once again. You know, he's got
a world record bonus from World Athletics, but he's doing
very well from his other commercial endorsements as well. But
it's great to see because he's entertainer and he's delivering
when it counts.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Totally remarked, you're very close with Zoe Hobbs. She missed
the one hundred meter final eleven one six in her heat,
you around eleven o nine in her semi. Missing the finals,
I say, finishing twelfth in the world. How will Zoe
Hobbs be feeling about that.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
I think she's gutted.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
She's definitely gutted to not make the final, but I
think that she's really trying to make that transition from
semi finalists now into the final.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
That's a really tough ass.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
You're talking about hundreds thousands of a second where you
need to execute, and I know that her team have
put an extra emphasis on that semi final race in
terms of the preparation they put in this year to
make that next jump.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
You know, twelve fast in the world.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
She's disappointed, but there's only eleven other women in the
world who are faster than her, and I think New
Zealand needs to really realize that and really realize what
a phenomenal athlete Zoe Hobbs is.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Now.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Hopefully she'll the next jump up and this campaign will
have taught her and her team so much, and I
think we'll see another version of Zoe come out in
the next few years as she builds to LA can't wait.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Maddi Wishy Olympic silver last year, now World Championship bronze
new PB of twenty four to zero six meters. She's
only twenty six. Dame Valerie Adams will still winning gold
medals in her thirties and Olympic bronze when she was
thirty six years old. What do you predict for Maddi.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Wishy Maddie Wishi delivers at major championships once again, she
has thrown an equal personal best in the heat of
the moment, and I just think that she is such
a competitor and ever since she won her World Junior
title and that brilliant silver last year in Paris, you
(09:54):
know she is able to at a major championship, get
physically prepared to be able to do it, but mentally
switch on and you know she's got a long career
ahead of her if she wants it. And I think
hats off to her and her coach Matt Mike Schofield,
because that was a great competition. I think they're pretty
gutted that they didn't get the gold, but actually no
(10:16):
one can take away from the fact that she's a
World Championship bronze medalist.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
And just a word on Tory Morby as well. I
was at a function a couple of months ago and
I heard her speak and I was really impressed by
her seventh in the women's javelin overnight didn't really get
close to her PB. Is seventh a good result for
her or will she be disappointed with that?
Speaker 4 (10:36):
It's a really good result for Tory.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
This is the first time that she's made the Championship final,
and I think that that for her in itself is
another step forward. I think the way that the competition
works in terms of the top ten getting another two throw,
then top eight and then top six, she's pretty gutted
to not get into that final top six that she
(10:59):
got bumped in that last and that penultimate round. Yes,
you need to be throwing great distance in that final
throw and in the final, which we saw her great
throw in qualifying. So I think overall, seventh is actually
a very good.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Result for her.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Always enjoy your terrific track and field analysis, Sarah, Thanks
so much for joining us this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Thanks Piney, and thanks to everyone who's tuned in and
support the Kyis in Tokyo this week.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
It's been awesome.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
It has been awesome. I've loved it. Thanks indeed, Sarah.
Sarah Caley Ross there with some great analysis on New
Zealand's performances at the World Track and Field Champs in Tokyo.
Won to go Connor Bell in the discus final tonight,
but regardless of how he goes it will still be
among our most successful. In fact, by medals our most
successful World Track and Field Champs golds to Hamishkurre and
(11:48):
Jordie Beamish and the bronze to Maddy Wish. Looking forward
to seeing how they and many of our other athletes
go over the next little while, Commonwealth Games next year
of course, and then on towards the Olympics in La
in twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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