Teenage running sensation Sam Ruthe has added to his run of impressive performances, outlasting Olympian Sam Tanner to lower his own New Zealand junior 800m record at the Potts Classic in Hastings.

Easing past his illustrious training partner with 200m remaining, Ruthe, 16, had to withstand a strong finish from his rival, but held on in 1m 45.86s, taking almost a second off the mark he set on the same track at the national secondary schools championships last month.

Tanner sliced two-tenths of a second off his previous best with 1m 45.94s, while Ruthe’s performance elevates him to seventh on the New Zealand all-time list, behind James Preston, Peter Snell, John Walker, Shaun Farrell, Nick Willis and Brad Mathas.

The result also marks Ruthe’s first victory over Tanner, who paced him to a sub-four-minute mile last March, as he became the youngest to ever break that barrier at age 15.

The pair famously dead-heated for the national 1500m title at Dunedin two weeks earlier and are due to clash again over a mile at Whanganui’s Cooks Gardens next week.

Earlier, Olympic sprinter Zoe Hobbs made a slice of history, powering to the inaugural women’s 60m national crown in 7.29s against a strong headwind. Auckland’s Marielle Venida was second in 7.52s.

In a new initiative, Athletics New Zealand has introduced short-course championships, primarily for sprints and hurdles, with Tiaan Whelpton claiming the men’s dash in 6.80s.

“Good to get my season under way and to do it over 60 is pretty cool,” Hobbs told TVNZ. “I haven’t run an outdoor-format 60 in a classic ever, so it’s nice to have that now – it’s one of my favourite events.”

A sub-11-second performer over 100m, Hobbs also holds the Oceania record (7.06s) over 60m indoors, where she finished fourth at the 2024 world championships and sixth last year.

“The shorter distances are more favoured towards me, being a power athlete and my start being the better half of my race. I stoked to have it included and nice to have this side of the world included in that indoor format.

“We’re limited on not having any indoor facilities, so for World Athletics to allow this short-track format is awesome.”

Hobbs will again contest the short sprint at Whanganui, as well as making her 100m debut for the season.

- RNZ Sport