Gritty marathon win to Denholm

Press, 1 June 1981, Page 13

Gritty marathon win to Denholm

By ROD DEW A superbly-judged run by the gritty Wellington distance specialist. Steve Denholm, enabled him to carry off top honours in the inaugural Nike City of Christchurch International Marathon, held over an out-and-home course from Queen Elizabeth II Park yesterday. Denholm, aged 29, claimed the lead from a tiring Frank Brookes (Canterbury 7 with less than seven kilometres to run and steadily drew ahead. He reached the finish, still running very strongly, in a personal best time 'of 2hr 19min 6s.

Brookes, who had earlier looked a likely winner, settled for second place with some five kilometres still to go. His time of 2:21:8 was below his best but still a worthy effort. Third place went to Brian Kennelly (Canterbury), who was always a top contender, in 2:21:20 — nearly 4min faster than his previous best. The remarkable 49-year-old veteran. Jack Foster (Rotorua), who won the silver medal over the same course in the 1974 Commonwealth Games, was more than happy with- his fifth placing behind Warwick Lightbourne (Auckland) in 2:22:48. As the first veteran home, he received the opportunity of a free trip to the Nike International Marathon in Canberra next year. The top men's prize of a free trip, courtesy of Air New Zealand, to another Nike international marathon in Oregon in September was deservedly won by Denholm, a Hutt Valley fireman running only his fourth marathon. Denholm was only in the field because he forget to send in his entry for the big Fletcher marathon in Rotorua in time. “I trained solidly for the Fletcher marathon for nine months. When my entry was rejected because of lateness it nearly knocked me flat,” he said. .However, he made good use of his background' work yesterday, staying with the

main bunch until it started to break Up after 25 km. Denholm said later he felt he had the race won with 10 km to go “provided everything held together.” But even after that he was never completely sure of finishing. His calf muscles were very sore, and he was worried that they would not last the distance. The cool, overcast conditions were ideal for the race, although there were a few traffic problems. Denholm and other top runners were criticial of the decision to run the field against the traffic on the return journey down Memorial Avenue.

There was very nearly a nasty accident when the control of one intersection here slipped from the grasp of the traffic officer on duty. Brookes had to sprint to avoid one car crossing Memorial Avenue and seconds later the main bunch was almost run down by another car. One runner pushed himself off the car with a hand as it was slowing and at least two other runners came to a' dead stop to avoid being run over. As expectd, it was the Canterbury runner, Brenton Joyce, who led the field out of the park from the start. Bu the soon had an unexpected partner in his “win-from-the-front” tactics in Peter Crosby (Otago). Crosby caught Joyce after only three kilometres, ran with him for a time, and then drew ahead. Crosby led through the five-kolometre mark in 15min 30s, with Joyce some 200 m back. At 10 km, Crosby had further consolidated his lead, passing through the mark in 31min 15s. Joyce was a further minute slower. The main bunch of eight runners, which included Brookes, Kennelly and Foster, went through in 32min 355. At 20 km, just short of the turning point near Christchurch Airport, Crosby was still very much in command and running well. But Joyce had dropped back and the main bunch of Light-

bourne, Foster. Brookes, Donaldson, Denholm. Chris Thomson (Auckland) and Kennelly was starting to loom as a threat.

On the return journey down Memorial Avenue, Brookes started to pull clear of the bunch and began the long chase after Crosby. It soon became obvious that Crosby was suffering from leg problems and he was caught by Brookes shortly before the 30 km mark. Crosby slowed still further, almost stopping at one stage, and Kennelly, Denholm and Thomson streamed past in rapid succession.

At 31 km, Brookes was 200 m clear and seemed to have the race in his pocket. But Denholm had something in reserve. He slowly narrowed the gap and caught Brookes just as they were entering Dallington Terrace, about seven kilometres from home. Brookes was unable to respond and the little Wellington runner strode into a lead he was never to lose. Brookes later said that he might have gone too early. "I didn’t mean to open the gap when I did. It just happened.” When he was caught by Denholm, he had nothing left. "I had had it,” he said. “Steve was the better man on the day, but only on the day.” The former New Zealand champion, Tony Good (Canterbury), lost contact with the main bunch early in the race and finally withdrew at the 29 km mark. The first woman finisher was Christine Burden (Canterbury), whose time of 2hr 45min 5s was the fastest ever achieved by a South Island athlete. She featured in a splendid tussle with the diminutive Scottish runner, Doris Trueman, who recorded her best time in 2:48:39 — only her second marathon.

Mrs Trueman led by 2lamin at 11 km. was ahead by 1 lamin at 31 km but was caught by Mrs Burden at 37 km. In the run home, Mrs Burden, aged 27, proved too strong. The winner of the wheelchair section was Graham Condon (Canterbury) in an excellent 2:50:47. Roberto Deuriarte, the physically handicapped runner from Honolulu, had a personal best time of 6:3:11. He was 566th among the 568 finnishers in the full marathon. It was his fifteenth marathon, and his fastest by almost 26min. He was accompanied for the entire distance by the 68-year-old veteran, John Drew, who finished in a time a second slower. The oldest runner. Leslie Smith, aged 74, of Christchurch, completed the course in 4:6:9, comfortably beating the youngest starter, eight-year-old Dean Forster, who recorded 4:24:19. The first veteran woman home was Diane Stead, of Christchurch, in 3:28:58.