Welcome to the best track and field meeting New Zealand has to offer. New Zealand has a rich history of producing world class athletes with the likes of Yvette Williams, Jack Lovelock, Val Young, Peter Snell, and John Walker.

In the last few years we have seen a resurgence of Kiwi athletes with our latest generation of athletes including Valerie Vili, Nick Willis, and Kimberley Smith. These athletes were part of a larger Track and Field team that ensured the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were our most successful for quite some time.

When Nick Willis was back in New Zealand (touring the country, spring 2008) after his Bronze medal performance in the 1500m, he communicated a strong desire to promote the sport back at home with quality international racing.

Willis's enthusiasm to help the sport regain some international momentum once again in New Zealand has resulted in the formation of the International Track Meet (Christchurch). In 2009 the events inaugural year, 3000 spectators cheered on 23 athletes from five countries. New Zealand and Australian Records were set along with a stadium record in the Men's 100m with local boy David Ambler (10.35) eclipsing Don Quarrie's (Jamaica) previous record (10.37) set during the 1974 Commonwealth Games.

The Christchurch International Track Meet serves to resurrect the good work of Dick Quax and the late John Davies and their successful 1990's International Track Series and Graeme Avery's brilliant Robin Tait Classic meetings. These meets brought many of the world's track and field heavyweights such as Linford Christie and Donovan Bailey to New Zealand to compete on our soil.

The International Track Meet is organised by an enthusiastic group of athletic supporters with the primary goal of promoting the sport to a wider NZ audience. In doing so raising the profile of our top athletes and helping facilitate a pathway for our developing talent via an enhanced level of competition at home. We believe that Track and Field will offer an evening's entertainment that the whole family will enjoy.

This meeting will showcase the best talent from Colgate Games level, local secondary schools, aspiring athletes, Paralympic and Elite Athletes. The event will also be supported with live entertainment from the acclaimed Aranui High School Jazz Band. For 2010 the feature event will be the International Invitational Men's 800m.

The Christchurch International Track Meet will become an annual fixture on the domestic calendar. This meeting is held for the benefit of the sport and not commercial gain, therefore any profit made will be reinvested into subsequent years to ensure the longevity of an event that provides a great nights racing entertainment at the track offering something for everyone.

The Committee

Craig Motley – Athletics coach, selector and Christchurch City Council Northern Area Programme and Activity leader.

Mark Reid – CEO Abbott Group, former competitive athlete,.

Leyton Tremain – Sponsorship and Account Manager for New Balance NZ Ltd, former competitive athlete,

Rebecca Wardell – 2008 Beijing Olympic & 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games Heptathlete, Transport Engineer

Paul Coughlan – Commercial Manager Natures Flame, former competitive athlete,

Tony McManus – Passenger Service Manager TranzScenic, former competitive runner and cyclist,

Mark Sullivan – Company Secretary House of Travel Holdings Limited, former competitive runner,

Nick Burrow – Site Supervisor New Zealand Institute of Sport, former competitive athlete,