12.10.2009

Distance stars dominate weekend athletics action

Australians Jeff Hunt and Cassie Fien have turned on solid performances at the world half marathon championships in Birmingham overnight to round out a big weekend of athletics action across the country and around the world.

Making their international debut on the Birmingham course, Hunt and Fien crossed the line in 43rd and 31st places respectively on a day that was dominated by African athletes.

In cold, wet conditions in the central English city, 27-year-old Hunt clocked 1:04.16 over the 21km course behind event winner Zersenay Tadese (ERI), who claimed his fourth successive world title in emphatic fashion.

Tadese stopped the clock at 59:35 to further cement his status as the world’s premier half marathon runner.

Hunt’s result is just under two minutes outside the career best mark of 1:02.44 he recorded on the Gold Coast in July to gain selection to the world titles. The New South Welshman will now turn his attention to contesting his first full marathon, scheduled for February next year in Beppu (JPN), and qualification for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

In the women’s event 24-year-old Victorian Cassie Fien clocked a solid 1:12.55 to finish 31st amidst the 59-strong field.

Kenyan Mary Keitany, the silver medallist in 2007, took out the women’s title in dominant style, crossing the line in 1:06.36.

Fien’s run was just 20 seconds outside the personal best time of 1:12.24 she posted on the Gold Coast in July.

In other marathon action across the weekend, three time Paralympian and five time world champion wheelchair athlete Kurt Fearnley claimed his third straight Chicago Marathon title and fifth win from as many starts in 2009.

In claiming the hat-trick 28-year-old Fearnley stopped the clock at 1:29.09, more than a minute clear of his nearest rival.

The New South Welshman is attempting to win six marathons from as many starts in 2009 and with five titles already under his belt, needs only to take out the New York event on November 1 to achieve the feat.

Closer to home, first-time marathoner Dale Engler (SA) and 24-year-old New South Wales athlete Lisa Flint were crowned 2009 national marathon champions in Melbourne yesterday.

Engler, who more regularly competes as a steeplechaser on the track and field circuit, crossed the line in 2:24.42 and following his win could not believe he had taken out the national title on debut over the marathon distance.

“When I went through halfway in about 70:30 I thought I’d gone out too hard and was waiting to fall apart. I might have to run another one now,” he said.

Flint, who started running just three years ago after watching Kerryn McCann win the 2006 Commonwealth Games marathon, said she was honoured to add the inaugural Kerryn McCann Trophy to her national title.

“I remember watching Kerryn’s face at the finish (of the marathon), and she’s been an inspiration. It was a buzz just entering the stadium today.”

On a huge day out in Melbourne Flint beat pre-race favourite Satoko Uetani (JPN), smashed her personal best time by more than 13 minutes and recorded a Commonwealth Games qualifying time of 2:34.08.

Also lining up at the Melbourne event was dual Olympic race walking medallist Jared Tallent, who walked the marathon course in a time of 3:08.40.

And two of the greats of Australian distance running have posted podium finishes across the weekend with Benita Willis placing third at the four-mile event in Groningen in the Netherlands in 20:38.50 and Lee Troop marking his return to the marathon with a time of 2:16.13 in Italy.