Selina Steps Up a Gear
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Selina Heard-Price |
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Born-again sportswoman Selina Heard-Price continued her remarkable transformation into a competitive runner when she strolled to her second win of the season in the five kilometre Stephen Baird Handicap, held near Stawell last Saturday.
After spending most of her sporting life as a netballer, badminton and squash player, Selina joined a our running club for the first time this year, won an eight kilometre event at her first try at the distance and has also recorded two seconds, a third and a fourth in just eight starts.
The lean, long-legged Horsham hospital worker has proved to be a natural, and with a little experience kicking in has learned how to race, as distinct from being a “fun runner.”
Selina, who is as surprised as anyone by her success in her new sport, said: “I’m not doing a lot of distance training and never have, but I am at it seven days a week, alternating between gym and running. I’m learning a lot and improving from week to week. We don’t have any hills to speak of in Horsham so it’s great to come to Stawell for the challenge and to get the competitive juices flowing.”
Having shared an historic quinella with her husband Rick earlier in the season, Selina achieved another rare feat when she and Sharon Howden landed the first female quinella in the club’s recent history.
Horsham athletes again dominated Stawell, with Campbell Pallot, and Gary Howden (who recorded fastest time) helping to fill the first four places, and only Charlie Jones stopping Glen Ryan from further embarrassing the locals.
The Howdens did exceptionally well to figure as prominently as they did after a five-week break, which included a trip to South America, but they did have a start in the Gold Coast Half Marathon under their belts to prepare them for their return.
The consistent Tobias Blair continued the Horsham push, beating Luca O’Flynn in the Junior division of the race, while Ararat’s Lily O’Flynn made a one-act affair of the Sub-Juniors race.
By Keith Lofthouse
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