Athletics: Baxter too strong in men's section

An 8km morning training run was not enough to slow Shireen Crumpton (Hill City) as she powered away to win the open women's title at the Otago cross-country championships on Saturday.

Crumpton, who said after the race her only worry had been over the weather, has been no stranger to success on the 8km course at Waikouaiti.

Her victory on Saturday was her 10th since 1998.

But if there has been one low-point to her success, it was being forced to forfeit the 2001 title to second-placed Maria Akesson, as at the time Crumpton was registered with Auckland's North Shore Bays.

Saturday's victory will arguably be one of her most treasured, the pace being forced throughout by clubmates and training colleagues Rachel Kingsford and Paula Whiting.

But in typical fashion, Crumpton was not about to yield, preferring to turn the challenge around by absorbing the pressure and turning the pace back on them.

By the midway stage, Crumpton held a 4sec lead on Kingsford, with Whiting still close at hand.

But the narrow advantage was all Crumpton needed to build confidence and gather momentum, gradually extending her lead to 10sec over Kingsford, as she finished in 29min 23sec.

Whiting faded over the closing stages but held on to take bronze in 31min 23sec.

When informed it was Crumpton's second 8km run of the day, both Kingsford and Whiting were amazed.

But for Crumpton, it was business as usual, as, just six days before the race, she finished third in the Gold Coast half marathon in 1hr 14min 5sec.

The time was the fastest by a New Zealand woman this year, and qualified Crumpton for the world road championships in Britain later this year.

Before that, she will represent New Zealand in the marathon at the world track and field championships in Berlin on August 23.

Finishing runner-up in the Edmond Cup steeplechase last month was just the boost Nathan Baxter (Ariki) needed as he set about securing the 12km open men's title at Waikouaiti.

While illness and injury played a part in the final make-up of the field, it was Baxter who stole the show with a commanding second-half performance.

Until the middle stages, it was the Caversham trio of Bevan Stevens, Lyndon Brown and Tony Payne who set the pace.

But Baxter said afterwards it was a matter of using his head, tucking in behind and sticking with them until opportunities presented themselves.

With 5km to go, Baxter turned the race around and made his move, and only Callan Moody (Ariki) and Oliver O'Sullivan (Hill City) were able to offer some resistance.

Baxter put in a further turn of speed with 3km to go and opened up a 5sec advantage.

Then Baxter - nicknamed "Guns" - had too much firepower and he left O'Sullivan and Moody battling for second and third as he blazed his way down the long finishing straight to victory in 40min 13sec.

O'Sullivan secured second in 40min 19sec, with Moody third in 40min 36sec.

Despite it being the 22-year-old Baxter's first time on the course, he was full of praise for the advice from coach Craig Motley and past champion Luke Hurring, both no strangers to the course.

"I had concerns about going too early, but with just two laps to go there were a few people in good shape. So I had to go. It worked out all right in the end."

Barbara Roy (Otago University) and Daniel Balchin (Caversham) won the junior titles, while Louise Andrew (Leith) and Glen Ferguson (Leith) were masters winners.

Cameron McNoe (Hill City) and Rebekah Greene (Hill City) won the under-16 titles.