The Prague Post - New Zealand's historic athletics worlds a decade in the making

Geordie Beamish claimed New Zealand's first track gold in history with a shock victory in the 3,000m steeplechase on Monday.

High jumper Hamish Kerr followed with gold on Tuesday to make it an unprecedented double success for a country much better known for rugby than its prowess in track and field.

Before this week, the country had won only six golds in total at the championships.

On Wednesday morning New Zealand were in the giddy position of fourth on the overall medals table -- boasting a third of the gold medals won by the United States with just 1.5 percent of the population.

Athletics New Zealand chief executive Cam Mitchell said the results were "incredible", especially after Beamish fell to the track in the heats before recovering.

"The story with Geordie has been pretty amazing, falling over, getting spiked in the face, getting back up and then getting through and winning the final in the way that he did was pretty special," Mitchell said.

"And then for Hamish to top it all off, just amazing."

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on social media: "A wonderful effort and New Zealand is proud of you both!"

New Zealand's former 1500m Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis watched Beamish's win from Detroit's airport after a delayed flight, and fellow passengers were bemused at his celebrations.

"It was so epic to watch. I was stuck on the tarmac... and I thought we were going to take off and I wouldn't see the last two laps, but our flight was delayed and I got to see Geordie make his way up," he told The New Zealand Herald.

- Histories entwined -

Athletics in New Zealand receives modest government funding of $3.7 million (USD$2.2m) annually, but the sport has delivered over the past year.

Kerr also won gold at the Paris Olympics last summer, where shot putter Maddi Wesche took silver.

"There's a lot of support for a country like ours, and people love underdog stories," said Mitchell, who is in Tokyo.

In the Japanese capital, Kerr said Beamish's triumph a day earlier had spurred him on.

"He gave me a kick in my ass after his win last night so I had to win too!" Kerr joked.

The heroic pair won world indoor titles on the same day last year.

And they did the same a decade earlier too.

In the small city of Whanganui, north of New Zealand's capital Wellington, Beamish and Kerr competed in a 2014 national high school event at Cooks Gardens.

A famous venue in New Zealand, it pales in comparison to the 37,000 seater Tokyo crowd at the world championships, but is a rite of passage for Kiwi athletes.

On that day, in an event sponsored by the local golf club, Kerr won high jump gold and Beamish -- who then went by George -- won the Mars Petcare 3000m race.

"It's really kind of cool to share our best moments together," Kerr said.

Also in action that day was a young Eliza McCartney, who will compete in the pole vault in Tokyo.

M.Soucek--TPP