WORLD ATHLETICS HAS NZ STRUGGLING
NZ sent its biggest and strongest team to a world track & field champs a couple of weeks ago in Bucharest. It was the 19th such event.
But NZ's 20 athletes failed to win a medal of any description during the nine-day event which was probably the most outstanding world or Olympics athletics ever staged.
The venue itself and the connecting facilities were outstanding and every day the 35,000 spectator stadium was either filled or near-filled.
A new Ussain Bolt emerged in the form of an American sprinter named Noah Lyles and he provided the spark that an event of this type needs as its brightest ultimate star.
NZ athletes were very largely disappointing. We had performer after performer failing to provide a personal best effort or even a matching personal best performance in order to secure a better placing and in several cases, gaining at least a silver or bronze medal.
These can be reeled off but include shot putter Walsh, high jumper Kerr, Javelin thrower Peeters and sprinter Hobbs.
Only women shot putter Wesche and steeplechaser Beamish produced PBs.
So let's hope for better things in less than 12 months time when the Olympic Games are held in Paris. Track & field is the supreme event of the Olympics.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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