Athletics: List finishes season on high

James List displayed no apparent signs of the soreness he had earlier in the week to win the Hill Free half marathon at Outram yesterday.

Last weekend, List was hailed as Captain Fantastic following his epic run down Longridge Rd that brought his team into medal contention in the national road relay.

"I was a bit sore on Sunday and Monday," he said.

"I tried a light run on Tuesday but suffered the worst for it."

Not until Thursday was List able to train with any freedom of movement.

His goal in the half marathon yesterday was just to have a casual Sunday run.

"I wasn't going too hard, I thought. I was just easing it, really, to finish the season off."

List, who last month finished runner-up to Wellington's Dougal Thorburn in the half marathon section of the Dunedin marathon, was surprised at his time, 1hr 12min 33sec.

List (24), a fourth-year physical education student, also won the Otago half marathon title associated with yesterday's event, to cap a successful season.

He started the road racing part of the season with a victory in the inter-club Clyde-to-Alexandra 10km road race, but will now turn his attention to middle distance in track and field competition throughout the summer months.

Second home in the open men's half marathon yesterday was Stewart Paul in 1hr 15min 55sec, with Robbie Paterson third in 1hr 17min 21sec.

Surprised by her result in winning the open women's section of the half marathon was Hayley Michels.

Michels (23), an intern pharmacist, has been running socially and for fitness since the age of 15, and has only recently looked at running a little more competitively.

Her first attempt was last month in the half marathon section of the Dunedin marathon, where she impressed first up with a time of 1hr 37min 35sec to finish 10th in the open women's competition.

Yesterday, she recorded 1hr 30min 45sec to finish first.

Despite this relative inexperience, Michels displayed all the qualities of a seasoned campaigner as she worked her way through the field and on to victory.

Leading out early was Otago junior cross-country champion Romana Salis, who surrendered her lead to eventual second place-getter Tasmin Palmer around the midway stage.

Palmer led until Michels came at her 5km out.

"She was powering away. She just had so much in her legs," Palmer said.

For the two it was a reversal of results but a continuance of form, as Palmer had recorded 1hr 34min 13sec in finishing 6th last month in the Dunedin Harbour event and 1hr 33min 8sec to finish second yesterday.

In third place was Kim Herter-Loiser in 1hr 33min 22sec.

Herter-Loiser was third in the open women's section of last month's Dunedin Marathon recording 3hr 15min 4sec.

In the associated 10km section yesterday, Oliver O'Sullivan displayed a clean pair of heels to record a convincing back-to-back victory in 33min 8sec.

Finding success in filling the void between seasons was Kirsty Morris who won the women's 10km title in 37min 30sec.

The associated 2km races for children were also keenly contested with Francesca Chignell winning the title for the third consecutive year in 8min 22sec, while Chris McNoe won the title for a second straight year in 7min 30sec.