Athletes Run for Christchurch

For many, this has involved doing things out of the ordinary, like driving a trailer load of supplies to Christchurch or holding a fundraising casual dress day at work. But for a handful of international athletes who happened to be in New Zealand, their reaction was to do what they do best: run very, very fast.

At 10 pm on Tuesday night, 22 February, I received a call from middle-distance runner and Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis. ‘I’m in town with all my training buddies [including US mile record holder Alan Webb, Britain’s Lee Emanuel and US sub-four minute milers Brandon Bethke and Will Leer] and we want to race for Christchurch.’

That Saturday (26 February) they were all set to compete at QEII Park, Christchurch, at the International Track Meet (ITM). It was to be one of the most competitive New Zealand-based athletics events in decades. The field of international and local athletes was being compared to the great 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games featuring the Bayi v Walker battle and Dick Taylor’s 10,000m win (his time of 27:46.4 still stands as the fastest ever in New Zealand). Records were looking to be broken and new legends created.

The ITM was also to play host to the first-ever Olympic medal ceremony in New Zealand for Nick Willis’ long-awaited Beijing silver medal. Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain was stripped of his gold medal after a positive drug test, causing Nick to be upgraded from the bronze medal position to second place. 

However, Tuesday’s earthquake shattered all these hopes for the ITM. Apart from the city-wide devastation, it didn’t help that the QEII track was now buried under liquefaction and was a foot or two short of 400 metres thanks to an unwanted speed bump stretching the width of the track. And so the decision was made to hold a replacement event at Wellington’s Newtown Park. The athletes would forego their appearance fees, and spectator entry would be free with donations encouraged for The Salvation Army’s Canterbury Earthquake Appeal.

A planning meeting (including Nick, several other athletes, a local coach and myself) was arranged on Wednesday night. We then had less than 72 hours to plan and promote like crazy, pooling resources to benefit Christchurch as much as possible.

In any other circumstance, you’d be out of your mind to hold an event of this scale just three days after planning it, but these were unique times. All of New Zealand was brought to a standstill by the earthquake, and people were looking for every—and any—avenue to help. A printer offered to print several thousand flyers for free, a supermarket offered free sausages and bread (and didn’t want to be named) and viral promotional emails relayed their way all over cyberspace. The benefit of Facebook and Twitter was clear.

Salvation Army young people, when approached by Territorial Youth Secretary Captain Rebecca Gane, eagerly put up their hands to don fluro Army vests and swing donations bucket on the night. And a composite brass band signed up for National Anthem duties. 

Despite a cool southerly on the night, the Newtown Park grandstand seating filled quickly. The evening began with an emotional Nick Willis being led into the stadium by an equally moved Christchurch boy. The boy had survived the earthquake and couldn’t believe that he had met Nick (let alone been able to carry Nick’s medal). After the medal was presented by IOC member Barry Maister and the National Anthem sung, the large crowd remembered the people of Christchurch in a poignant minute’s silence.

Following a call to give to the Earthquake Appeal by Captain Ian Gainsford, the running kicked off, literally, with two New Zealand runners outkicking the US favourite Alan Webb in the 800m. Then some of New Zealand’s best went head-to-head in events ranging from 100 metre sprints to hammer throws and the long jump (where a teenaged Nelson jumper broke the New Zealand junior record).    

In the final event, the elite men’s mile, the crowd was treated to a storybook ending to a special night. Amid deafening roars, with people crowded onto the very edge of the track, Nick Willis stormed down the home straight to claim the win. His time of 3:58 (the first sub-four minute mile in Wellington’s wind in many years) was just a tick or two ahead of training partners Will Leer and Brandon Bethke.

Nick described his emotions on the night, ‘It’s just phenomenal. Everyone in New Zealand knows someone involved in the earthquake and this is just a fantastic response. It’s an extremely special day and, in light of recent events, a good reason to bring in the crowds and raise money for Christchurch.’

The Salvation Army’s Earthquake Appeal received cash donations of over $20,000 on the night, including $5000 from Nike, one of the athlete’s sponsors. Running website NZRun.com pitched in to provide a live, worldwide broadcast that boosted online donations.

The Track Meet 4 Christchurch was just one example of many similarly-motivated events and initiatives all over New Zealand to help Christchurch. Isn’t it interesting that a disaster that succeeded in opening cracks in the ground also succeeded in opening up millions of hearts (and wallets) across the nation and around the world?

By Hayden Shearman (adapted for web from War Cry magazine)

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