Zane Robertson (born 14 November 1989)[3] is a New Zealand middle and long-distance runner. He won the bronze medal in the 5000 metres at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Robertson is the Oceanian record holder for the 10 kilometres and half marathon, and New Zealand record holder for the marathon. He also holds the area best in the road 10 miles. He is currently serving an eight-year ban for breaching two World Athletics anti-doping rules.

Zane Robertson
Robertson at the 2016 Rio Olympics
Personal information
Born (1989-11-14) 14 November 1989 (age 35)
Hamilton, New Zealand
Home townIten, Kenya[1]
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Weight63 kg (139 lb)[2]
Sport
SportTrack and field
Event800 metreshalf marathon
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Glasgow 5000 m
Continental Cup
Silver medal – second place 2014 Marrakech 5000 m

At the age of 17, he and his twin brother Jake moved from New Zealand to Iten, Kenya, to further their running careers.[4]

On 22 March 2023, it was announced that Robertson had been banned from competition for eight years following two World Athletics anti-doping rule violations. He received a four-year ban for the use of EPO found in in-competition test in May 2022 and an additional four years for tampering with the doping control process, effectively ending his athletics career.[5][6]

Career

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2013–2021

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Zane Robertson competed in the 2013 World Championships in Moscow over the 5000 metres, where he finished 14th with a time of 13:46.55.[7]

At the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships, Robertson finished 12th in the final of the 3000 metres event in a time of 8:01.81[8] after running a New Zealand indoor record of 7:44.16 in the heats.[9] He won the bronze medal in the 5000 m at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.[10]

In 2015, Robertson set a new Oceanian record in the half marathon in Marugame with a time of 59:47.[11] He became only the fourth non-African runner in history to run the distance in under one hour.[12]

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Robertson finished 12th in the men's 10,000 metres with a time of 27:33.67. This result broke Dick Quax's 39-year-old New Zealand national record by more than 8 seconds.[13]

Robertson was selected to represent New Zealand in both the marathon and 10,000 m at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and planned to contest one of the two events. However, he withdrew from the team on 5 April, after his training was hampered by a groin injury earlier in the year.[14] At the 2019 Gold Coast Marathon, Robertson placed third in a time of 2:08:19, breaking his brother Jake's national record by seven seconds.[15]

In 2021, Robertson finished 36th in the Tokyo Olympic Games marathon with a time of 2:17:04.

2022 New Zealand Sports Tribunal ban

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On 20 September 2022, Robertson was provisionally suspended without opposition for anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs), including the use of EPO found in in-competition test in May 2022. Then his B sample confirmed the original result. On 22 March 2023, it was announced that he had been banned from competition for eight years for two World Athletics anti-doping rule violations. He received a four-year ban for the use of EPO and an additional four years for providing falsified records and false testimony, effectively ending his athletics career.[5][6]

Personal bests

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Surface Distance Time (h:)m:s Place Date Notes
Track 1500 metres 3:34.19 Rieti, Italy 7 September 2014
3000 metres 7:41.37 Cork, Ireland 8 July 2014
3000 metres indoor 7:44.16 Sopot, Poland 7 March 2014
5000 metres 13:13.83 Heusden-Zolder, Belgium 13 July 2013
10,000 metres 27:33.67 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 13 August 2016
Road 10 kilometres 27:28 Berlin, Germany 9 October 2016 Oceanian record
10 miles 46:29 Amsterdam, Netherlands 23 September 2018 Oceanian best
Half marathon 59:47 Marugame, Japan 1 February 2015 Oceanian record
Marathon 2:08:19 Gold Coast, Australia 6 July 2019 New Zealand

Arrest

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In September 2023 Kenyan newspaper The Standard reported that Robertson had been arrested after an AK-47 and 23 rounds of ammunition were found in his house. Police had visited the address after a woman had filed a complaint about Robertson.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Commonwealth Games – ROBERTSON GRABS 5000M BRONZE « LiveNews.co.nz". livenews.co.nz.
  2. ^ a b "Glasgow 2014 – Zane Robertson Profile". glasgow2014.com.
  3. ^ "Zane ROBERTSON – Athlete Profile". World Athletics. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  4. ^ Kelsall, Christopher (28 August 2013). "The Zane Robertson interview". Athletics Illustrated. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Olympian Zane Robertson banned for eight years for doping violations". Stuff. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  6. ^ a b Johannsen, Dana (22 March 2023). "The extraordinary lengths Kiwi Olympian Zane Robertson took to deceive anti-doping authorities". Stuff. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Oops something has gone wrong". iaaf.org.
  8. ^ "3000 Metres Result - IAAF World Indoor Championships 2014 - iaaf.org". iaaf.org.
  9. ^ "3000 Metres Result - IAAF World Indoor Championships 2014 - iaaf.org". iaaf.org.
  10. ^ "Glasgow 2014: Ndiku wins first track gold in 5,000m". BBC. 27 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  11. ^ IAAF: Course Record for Kuira at Marugame Half Marathon.
  12. ^ "Athletics: Robertson runs sensational half marathon time". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  13. ^ "Rio Olympics 2016: Zane Robertson breaks historic NZ 10,000 metre record". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  14. ^ Anderson, Ian (5 April 2018). "New Zealand runner Zane Robertson pulls out of Commonwealth Games on Gold Coast". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  15. ^ "Kiwi Zane Robertson shatters NZ marathon record, qualifies for Tokyo Olympics". 1 NEWS NOW. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  16. ^ "High-profile Kiwi athlete arrested in Kenya". Stuff. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
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