Men’s marathon winner Nathan Tse crosses the finish line. PHOTOS/MARK JERLING
ATHLETICS
CHRIS COGDALE
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Wellington Harriers’ Nathan Tse showed a clean pair of heels to the opposition, running away with the Wairarapa country marathon on Sunday in the best time in 38 years.
The 26-year-old stopped the clock in an impressive two hours, 27 minutes and 38 seconds, the fastest time on the Lees-Pakaraka course since 1983. However, it was six minutes shy of the race record of 2:21.20 set by Graeme Mackie in 1978.
Ben Twyman from Wellington Scottish crossed the line in second place in 2:43.16, 15 seconds ahead of Matthew Hallam from Valley Striders UK.
Veteran Brian Garmonsway [Trentham United] had more than eight minutes to spare over nearest rival Grant McLean [Scottish] in winning the half-marathon in 1:12.41.
Darius Simpson took home the trophy for the first Athletics and Cycling Masterton [ACM] club member across the finish line in 1:22.08.
Jade Valler was first woman home in 1:23.36, with Victoria Humphries [Wellington Harriers] second in 1:36.37, and Helen Gard’ner the first ACM woman to finish in 1:41.07.
The races doubled as the Wellington marathon and half marathon championships, after the cancellation of the popular Wellington marathon scheduled for last month because of the covid-19 restrictions.
Entries on Sunday were significantly down on previous years, with only 39 runners facing the starting gun for the marathon and 56 lining up in the half-marathon.
