Athletics: 800 children compete in schools cross-country

Shea Darwin (10), of St Joseph's School, Balclutha, wins the boys year 5 section of the Otago primary and intermediate schools cross-country, held at Balmacewen Intermediate in Dunedin yesterday. Photo by Jane Dawber.

Jack Beale-Harris (Blue Mountain College) set a blistering pace to win the year 8 boys title at the annual Otago primary and intermediate schools cross-country championships yesterday.

On the undulating Balmacewen Intermediate School course in Dunedin, Beale-Harris had a 50m lead coming off the first hill. However, Malachi Buschl (Outram) had closed the gap to 10m by the end of the lap.

Beale-Harris applied more pressure on the hills in the second lap, then strode out on the flat to win easily by 7sec, in a time of 8min 16sec.

Chris Hill (Alexandra Primary) finished strongly to take second place from Buschl by one second in 8min 23sec.

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Kia Wales (Roxburgh) snatch the year 8 girls title from Sienna Strachan (Queenstown) by 2sec in 9min 36sec. Nicole Ruske (Balmacewen) was third in 9min 39sec.

More than 800 pupils from around Otago competed in the annual event organised by the Hill City-University Club and Sport Otago.

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