Athletics: Meffan borrows spikes and wins again

Winner Peter Meffan leads the senior men's field from Ben Anderson and  Caden Shields, Nathan...
Winner Peter Meffan leads the senior men's field from Ben Anderson and Caden Shields, Nathan Baxter (obscured), Neale McLanachan and Stafford Thomson. Photos by Wayne Parsons.
Wilson Mitchell (Taieri) is overtaken by sisters Sian (left) and Hanna English (both Ariki) on...
Wilson Mitchell (Taieri) is overtaken by sisters Sian (left) and Hanna English (both Ariki) on the turn off the hill in the combined junior grades race. Sian won the women's under-20 title, completing the 6000m course in 23min 37sec, but was headed...
Shauna Pali powers her way to the senior women's at the Otago cross-country at Waikouaiti on...
Shauna Pali powers her way to the senior women's at the Otago cross-country at Waikouaiti on Saturday.

Peter Meffan dictated the terms in borrowed spikes to successfully defend his Otago cross-country crown at Waikouaiti racecourse on Saturday.

Meffan (22), a fifth-year medical student, arrived on the course and quickly realised that the 15mm spikes he had brought with him were too long for the firm track.

''Luckily I spotted Sam [Hopper, who contested the earlier junior men's race] and I borrowed his spikes,'' he said.

''This is the driest I've ever seen this course, and when you wear spikes that are too long [for the conditions] it just hammers your feet.''

The senior men's race began in much the same vein as the Edmond Cup Steeplechase two weeks ago. Meffan was joined by clubmate Ben Anderson and Caden Shields (Hill City-University) in setting the pace early on.

The three remained locked together until Anderson hit a flat patch around halfway and quickly lost 10m on Meffan and Shields.

Despite his best endeavours, Anderson was unable to make up the ground he had lost as Meffan and Shields turned the pace up another notch.

Not until midway through the fifth lap was Meffan able to shake Shields from his shoulder, and holding a 15sec advantage entering the final lap, extended it slightly to record a convincing and popular victory over the 12,000m course in 39min 57sec. Shields was second in 40min 22sec and Anderson third in 41min 14sec.

''This is definitely a key race before national cross-country,'' Meffan said, looking forward to the national event at Hamilton in three weeks' time.

''I haven't had much of a chance to race before this, so having a good run at Edmond and now this is pretty key.''

Meffan admitted to changing his game plan for Saturday's race as opposed to his Edmond Cup race two weeks ago, when he let Anderson dictate the terms from the start. Instead he went out fast and set a torrid pace, forcing Anderson and Shields on the back foot early.

The meaning of his victory on Saturday was not lost on Meffan as he realised he was the first representative from the Caversham club since Bruce Cowan (1968-1970) and Pat Sidon (1966 and 1967) to record back-to back Otago cross-country titles.

Sidon, who won 13 senior men's Otago cross-country titles from 1952-67, is one of Meffan's idols.

''He's an amazing man and I feel honoured.''

Meffan was full of praise for Anderson afterwards.

''Doing speed sessions with him [Anderson] definitely keeps me on my toes, because I'm always hanging on the back of him.''

But the last word went to Anderson who described the race as ''bloody hard''.

Shauna Pali (Hill City-University) overcame a strong challenge from nine-time champion on the 8000m course, and newly crowned national marathon champion, Shireen Crumpton, to win the senior women's title in an impressive 32min 9sec.

Victory for Pali (19), comes just six days after finishing fourth in her age-group and clocking 1hr 26min 19sec in 25degC in the half marathon section of the Gold Coast Marathon. It also ends a topsy-turvy 12 months that has seen Pali ''all over the show'' results-wise, due to a broken foot.

Saturday was her first race in the senior women's grade. Her aim was to go out as easy as she could and stick as close as possible to her clubmates, Crumpton and Deborah Lynch, and enjoy the sunny conditions on a hard and fast track with plenty to offer in terms of pace.

Pali's initial intention was to just sit in behind Crumpton and use her [Crumpton's] consistent pace. But the game plan changed as soon as the field took on the hill in the first of four circuits, where Pali began to open a lead that she continued to build on.

''I always love this course because that hill is my secret weapon,'' Pali, a three-time junior women's champion on the course, said.

''I do a lot of training over hills, but Shireen is really quick on the flat, so I had to conserve myself to maintain what I'd gained on the hill.

''It's good to be back. Now I can get down to some serious training.''

Crumpton finished second in 33min 3sec, with Lynch third in 34min 4sec.

The junior women's title held over 6000m proved a hard-fought affair between sisters Hanna and Sian English (Ariki), Hanna breaking the tape in 23min 21sec. Sian was second in 23min 37sec, and Emma Lloyd (Hill City-University) third in 25min 58sec.

Setting a good pace and picking a good inside line on the second lap set Sam Bremer (Hill City-University) up for victory in the junior men's 8000m event.

Bremer finished in 27min 17sec, with Lorenz Kissling (Caversham) second in 28min 39sec and Jonah Smith (Caversham), third in 29min 13sec.

 

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