Anne Audain wins

Press, 30 May 1983, Page 11

Anne Audain wins

NZPA New York The New Zealander, Anne Audain, won the L’eggs 10,000 m mini-marathon in New ‘ York on Saturday, 19 seconds ahead of the champion Norwegian, Grete Waitz. Mrs Audain, aged 27, dropped out at the half-way point in her previous attempt two years ago, then got lost in Central Park, where the race was held. Mrs Waitz, who is 29, and who had won the race four times and the New York City Marathon four times, had been expected to win again, but Mrs Audain challenged her from the start and finished in 32 min 23 secs. She led for all but the first three minutes, but felt secure, she said, only during the final 1500 metres, when she felt that Mrs Waitz could not

make up the 60m, gap between them. “I was waiting, always waiting, for Grete to come from behind, but she never came,” Mrs Audain said. Consequently, it was Mrs Audain who enjoyed all the fuss and attention after the race and not Mrs Waitz, who has grown accustomed to winning in New York. Immediately on finishing, Mrs Audain turned and waited 19 seconds to great Mrs Waitz with a hug and a kiss, and then waited, 11 more seconds, to congratulate Nancy Rooks, of Toronto, aged 24, who finished third in 32:53. Mrs Waitz, who in the 1980 race set the world women’s record for the 10,000 m with 30:59.8, finished in 32:42. She had been nursing a mild cold

for a few days, and said she had had difficulty breathing. The 6511 runners represented the biggest turn-out in the race’s 12 years, and it took about four minutes for all to cross the starting line at Central Park West and 57th Street. Most came from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, but there were entrants from 34 states and eight countries. Among them was Tabitha Francks, an eight-year-old from New Jersey, who finished seventy-sixth in 40:32, which is believed a worlds record for her age-group, but was not up to her expectations. Her father had written projected times for each 1500 metre split on her wrist. The total time was 38:40, a time Tabitha said she would try for next year.