Source: Radio New Zealand
Zoe Hobbs of New Zealand wins the Women’s 100m Final at the 2026 Oceania Athletics Championships in Darwin. JOEL CARRETT / PHOTOSPORT
New Zealand sprinter Zoe Hobbs has set her sights on a Commonwealth Games medal after winning the Oceania 100m title in Darwin.
Hobbs ran 11 seconds to set a meeting record, winning over Australians Ebony Lane and Georgia Harris.
Hobbs is currently ranked 13th in the world over 100m, and the time in Darwin has her inside the top 20 of world leading performances in 2026
Asked post-race about goals for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, Hobbs kept the message simple and emphatic: “a medal.”
“There are some big points on the line, it’s the Oceania Championships so one of the key events of the year so it was nice to do an 11, it would have been nice to see a 10, but I’m in great shape so I’m glad I capitalised on it.”
Hobbs is hoping to compete in the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest in September for the top-ranked athletes, with $17 million dollars in prize money up for grabs.
“I’ll be in Europe in June and July before the Commonwealth Games, I only have one comp confirmed and I’m just holding tight for some others, so hopefully after Wednesday night we’ll get some phone calls.”
Jacko Gill won the men’s shot put at the Oceania Champs title with a throw of 19.97m, while Ben Bidois claimed victory in the senior men’s 1500m.
Lex Revell-Lewis finished fourth in the men’s 400m but rewrote the national record books, stopping the clock in 45.82 seconds to set a new New Zealand record.
Danielle Aitchison won the senior women’s para 200m and Mitch Joynt took gold in the senior men’s para 200m.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/20/athletics-zoe-hobbs-sets-sights-on-commonwealth-games-medal/