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Roff and Delaney victorious at NSW 3000m titles
Jeremy Roff and Bridey Delaney have taken out the 2008 NSW 3000m titles in personal best times.
Roff convincingly won the men’s race in a time of 7:57.06, whilst Delaney slashed 35 seconds off her personal best to win the women’s race in 9:16.60.
The highly anticipated clash between Roff and 18-year-old Ryan Gregson didn’t eventuate, with Gregson not starting the race due to injury concerns. Gregson’s absence left Roff as the overwhelming favourite for the event, and with no pre-arranged pacemaker in the field the early tempo of the race was slow and fluctuating.
With 2000m passed in approximately 5:23 Roff took a more prominent role at the front of the field and with two laps to go began to open up a decisive lead that the rest of the field was unable to respond to.
Roff took out the race by four seconds, with marathon runner Scott Westcott managing to withstand a horde of fast finishing rivals to take second in 8:01.63. Three-time Australian 800m champion Nick Bromley was third in 8:04.85, ahead of David Byrne (8:05.20), Liam Adams (8:05.41) and 17 year old Cameron Page, who ran a sensational personal best of 8:05.47.
The women’s race quickly became a battle between two athletes: Bridey Delaney and Melinda Vernon. Delaney, 18, fifth placegetter in the 1500m at this year’s world junior championships, shared the lead with Vernon, the reigning Australian 10000m champion, during the early portion of the race.
As the rest of the field, including NSW under 20 10000m record holder Hollie Emery and Victoria’s Lee Furst, dropped off the pace, Delaney was content to sit in behind Vernon until the last lap. Vernon tried valiantly to shake off her younger rival with three hundred metres remaining, but Delaney stayed on her shoulder and entering the home straight pulled away for an impressive victory in 9:16.60. Vernon’s time of 9:18.67 was also a personal best, as was the 9:44.15 for third placegetter Emery.
A multitude of personal bests were recorded throughout the night in the six men’s races and two women’s races. Special note should go to the front running wins of 16 year olds Joshua Johnson (8:18.78) and Renee Mainwaring (10:10.75) in the B races of the men’s and women’s events.
Courtesy of Tim McGrath - Athletics NSW
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