Wen
There's a Will There's a Winning Way!
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| Wen
Zhai |
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Visiting Chinese University
student Wen Zhai led from start to finish to score
a gutsy win in last Saturday’s Stawell Amateur
Athletic Club 5km Stephen Baird handicap.
Running
in only her fifth race with the club, Wen has shown
considerable determination and great improvement,
especially since she had not run further than 800
metres in China.
Wen was introduced to cross
country only recently by a Stawell Secondary College
teacher, where Wen is stationed as part of her
exchange progam. Wen took to running like a duck
to water, loving it from the start.
Running off
the front mark, Wen led out the 24 strong senior
field over the difficult, hilly course. Several
minutes behind, Carolyn Lehmann was also performing
well, with mid field runners Emma Kelly, Keith
Lofthouse and Alexa Duke also showing good form.
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| Liam
Scott |
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With
a very long and difficult hill up to the finish,
Wen had to call on all her courage to keep herself
going, as the field was gaining ground by the minute.
Back
markers Owen Roper and Kieran Ryan were closing
fast, but it turned out to be a front markers day,
with Wen hanging on for a great win, ahead of Carolyn
Lehmann second, and Emma Kelly third.
Kieran Ryan
ran the fastest time of 18 minutes 10 seconds,
with Alexa Duke the fastest female in 25 minutes
40 seconds.
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| Tobias
Blair |
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The juniors also tackled
the same 5km course, with back marker Liam Scott
taking the final hill in his stride to claim victory
over Emily Parnaby, with Bianca Roberston third.
Scott
ran the fastest junior time of 24 minutes 34 seconds.
Parnaby was the fastest junior girl in 26 minutes
29 seconds.
Sub-junior Tobias Blair
put in a great run to take out the 1km handicap,
overtaking a gallant India Burns not far from the
line. Liam Burns was third.
Blair also posted the
fastest sub-junior time of 4 minutes 16 seconds.
Aleesha Robertson was the best sub-junior girl
in 4 minutes 26 seconds.
Wen Zhai is also currently
running an earth quake appeal for the homeless
children in China, for which the club was pleased
to donate the days race entry fees.
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