Running Rear second in comeback

Press, 14 August 1989, Page 24

Running Rear second in comeback

PA New Plymouth Northland’s Gail Rear narrowly failed to complete one of the great comebacks in New Zealand sport at Saturday’s national cross-country championships in New Plymouth.

Almost a year ago to the day, Rear was hit by a car while she was on a training run in Whangarei. She spent a week in a coma on a life support system and was given little hope of living. But with the grit and determination that has made her one of New Zealand’s best women cross-country runners, Rear survived. Saturday was her first serious running test since the accident The crowd warmed to her efforts as she strode out to the lead in the senior women’s 6km race. Very quickly the event developed in to a two-way contest, with Rear, the champion from 1984 to 1987, in front, and the 1979-80 winner and perennial placegetter, Mary O’Connor (Canterbury), tucked in behind. Rear put 20m on O’Connor on the last lap but her legs gave out as she climbed the steep hill at the half-way point of the final lap of the 2km circuit

O’Connor strode past and the race was hers. “Gail deserved to win after all she has been through, but I’m happy to have won,” O’Connor said.

Looking at the beam on Rear’s face, you would have thought she had won. “People said I would never run again. I wasn’t sure how I’d go but I’m back aren’t I,” she said.

“I didn’t really that

comfortable during the race and this will have trimmed me up nicely.” Her immediate thoughts were directed at next week’s Australian championships and the possibility of a start there, and in the long term she has set her sights on making the team for the world crosscountry championships in France next March. O’Connor is assured of a trip to France, as the winners of the men’s and women’s races gained an automatic spot in the New Zealand team.

O’Connor and Rear headed home Debbie Sheddan (Canterbury), Judith Cantwell (Waikato), Helen Moros (Auckland) and Karen Green (Taranaki).

Waikato’s Kay Gooch cruised to victory in the under 20 women’s event. She went to an early lead and stretched the field right out. Her victory followed earlier national track wins over 1500 m and 3000 m. She beat Andrea Lambert (Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay) by 12 seconds with Rebecca Lynch five seconds back in third.

A Canterbury computer programmer, Dave Burridge, shredded the senior men’s field on the way to winning his first senior national cross country title. The 27-year-old recorded a smart time of 36min 45s for the 12km distance as he led from start to finish. His only real challenger was Phil Clode but Burridge put a decisive break on the Aucklander at the halfway point and maintained it to beat Clode home by 24 seconds. The rock hard ground

blistered Burridge’s feet but that did not prevent him from grinding out six precision-like laps that spread the 130strong field.

This was his first national cross-country victory since winning the junior title at Whangarei in 1981.

He will now concentrate on the 5000 and 10,000 distances.

"The Commonwealth Games is a possibility but that will depend on how I run and if the selectors want me,” he said.

Clode tracked Burridge without ever looking likely to close the gap and, similarly, Gregor Cameron (Waikato) followed on the heels of Clode.

New Plymouth’s Paul Ballinger was fourth home, 58 seconds behind the winner. The three-time winner was enthusiastic about his performance and said it was just the run he needed in preparation for the Commonwealth Games marathon trial in Hastings in a fortnight.

“I did about the time I expected. The other guys were just too fast. AU of the runners around me were all four minute mile men,” Ballinger said. The 1988 senior champion, John Campbell (Auckland), did not defend his title. A niggling injury forced him to opt for the less competitive veteran’s section where he proceeded to blitz the field over 9km.

The 18-year-old Hastings student, Richard Potts, ran a mature race to win the men’s under 20 event. Potts, the son of the 1960 s and 1970 s track star, Sylvia Potts, took control of tlje Bkm race with just

500 m left, to beat Vaughan McCullough (Auckland) and Johnathon Wyatt (Wellington). Results:

Senior men 12km: David Burridge (Canterbury) 36min 455, 1; Phil Clode (Auckland) 37:09 2; Gregor Cameron (Waikato) 37:25, 3; Paul Ballinger (New Plymouth) 37:43, 4; Robbie Johnston (Otago) 37:48, 5; Patrick Meffan (Wellington) 37:53, 6; Mark Furlan (Waikato) 37:57, 7; Dave Harrison (Auckland) 38;08, 8; Liam Healey (Wellington) 38:09, 9; Paul Smith (Canterbury) 38:14, 10.

Team placings: Wellington (88) 1, Auckland (91) 2, Canterbury (104) 3, Waikato (116) 4; Taranaki (204) 5. Senior women 6km: Mary O’Connor (Canterbury) 20:56, 1; Gail Rear (Northland) 21:02, 2; Debbie Sheddan (Canterbury) 21:14, 3; Judith Cantwell (Waikato) 21:18, 4; Helen Moros (Auckland) 21:22, 5; Karen Green (Taranaki) 21:32, 6; Sharon Higgins (Auckland) 21:45, 7; Catherine Roberts (Auckland) 21:45, 8; Rowen ' Hocking (Canterbury) 21:51, 9; Anne Hare (Wellington) 21:58; 10. Team placings: Auckland (34) 1, Canterbury (36) 2, Wellington (65) 3; Waikato (90) 4, Taranaki (154) 5.

Under 20 men: Richard Potts (Hawkes Bay-Poverty Bay) 25:19 1: Vaughan McCullough (Auckland) 25:27, 2; Johnathon Wyatt (Wellington) 25:32, 3. Team placings: Wellington 1, Auckland 2, West Coast North Island 3.

Under 20 women 4km: Kay Gooch (Waikato) 14:40, 1; Andrea Lambert (Hawke’s

Bay-Poverty Bay) 14:52, 2; Rebecca Lynch (Waikato) 14:57. 3.

Team placings: Waikato 1, Canterbury 2, West Coast North Island-3.

Veteran men 9km: 40-44 years: John Campbell (Auckland) 29:31, 1; Kevin O’Sullivan (Canterbury) 2, Kevin Hamilton (Auckland) 3. 45-49: Robert Joy (Auckland) 30:41, 1; David Sirl (Auckland) 2, John Brownie (Canterbury) 3. 50-54: Walter Hume (Southland) 32:53, 1; lan Babe (Northland) 2; Jeff Julian (Auckland) 3. 55-59: Sid Pavett (Canterbury) 35:33, 1; Ron Cain (Otago) 2, Bernard Fitzgerald (Waikato) 3. 60 plus Raymond Langmead (Wanganui) 39:44, 1; Brian Bowering (Taranaki) 2, Maurie Neighbour (Auckland) 3.

Team placings: Waikato 1, Taranaki 2, West Coast North Island, 3.

Veteran women skm: 35-39: Kathy Lovell (Taranaki) 19:17, 1; Stephanie Barfoot (Auckland) 2, Sue Hoffan (Auckland) 3; 40-44: Prue Taylor (Canterbury) 18:52 1, Barbara O’Connell (Wanganui) 2, Marge Harries (Northland) 3. 45-49: Billie O’Halloran (Auckland) 21:26, 1, Pam Kenny (Waikato) 2, Sue McKay (Waikato) 3. SO--54: Pat Boland (Canterbury) 23:21, 1, Beverley Windsett (Waikato) 2, Jan Fleming (Waikato) 3. 55-59: Betty Bold (Auckland) 23:11, 1, Jean Wilson (Taranaki) 2, Eva Guy (Waikato) 3. 60 plus: Nan Little (Northland) 26:01, 1; Beryl Vine (Northland) 2; Shirley Faull (Waikato) 3. Team placings: Auckland 1, Taranaki 2, Wellington 3.