\u201cFor me it\u2019s really important turning up to a race and being in the best form because then mentally I\u2019m there. It\u2019s so much more satisfying turning up to a race knowing that you\u2019re in good enough form to actually compete.\u201d<\/p>\n
No decisions were made at the time on Ruthe\u2019s availability for the upcoming events or a time frame on a possible return to the track<\/a>.<\/p>\n Competing at the Commonwealth Games was never on the agenda for Ruthe heading into 2026, however everything changed in late January when he ran the fastest ever mile by a New Zealander<\/a>, beating the record Sir John Walker set in Oslo in 1982.<\/p>\n Ruthe\u2019s time of 3m 48.88s<\/a> at the John Thomas Terrier Classic indoor meet at Boston University, met the A performance standard set by Athletics New Zealand to be considered for the Commonwealth Games. <\/p>\n He then beat the B standard time two weeks later<\/a>, which then meant he could be nominated for one of Athletics New Zealand\u2019s allocated 18 quota spots, although the final decision rests with the New Zealand Olympic Committee. <\/p>\n Ruthe\u2019s coach Craig Kirkwood said going back to their original position at the start of the year made sense.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s make World Juniors the focus again and not push for a Commonwealth Games that might not be as successful as we would have liked and to be an experience that wasn\u2019t up to the standard we were looking for,\u201d Kirkwood said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re safer doing that rather than trying to push to get a performance at a level that we would deem acceptable and be happy with at the Comm Games, and that\u2019s really kind of what it really boiled down to.<\/p>\n \u201cWe also want to make sure that when you do represent New Zealand at such a pinnacle event that you do it to the best of your ability and we\u2019re not going in there undercooked. I think if we pushed for this year we would probably find that you\u2019d be underdone.<\/p>\n \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t want to be standing on that start line not ready, it would not be a great experience.\u201d<\/p>\n It has been an incredible 12 months for Ruthe who holds every U20 New Zealand middle distance record between 800m and 5000m.<\/p>\n New Zealand nominations for the Commonwealth Games close on May 20 and the full athletics team will be announced in mid June.<\/p>\n