Athletics: Commonwealth Games in Hogarth's sights

Kim Hogarth (Nelson) turned the tables on several pre-race favourites to win his fifth national title for the year, the senior men's national road title, in Dunedin on Saturday.

Hogarth (33), a probation officer, recently had his working hours cut to 30 a week to concentrate more on athletics, with a long-term goal of qualifying for the steeplechase in next year's Commonwealth Games.

This move has had immediate results, with his third place at the national cross-country championship last month gaining him provisional selection for the world cross-country championship in Poland in March.

Should his selection be confirmed, Hogarth said the Polish event would be good preparation for the six steeplechase races that follow in the United States, where he hopes to qualify for the Commonwealth Games.

Saturday's race removed any doubts as to Hogarth's mental toughness, as the pace was honest throughout.

He maintained close contact with the front bunch as a number of would-be challenges came and drifted off.

The race had all the ingredients for an action-packed final 1500m, but it was only Sam Wreford (Canterbury) who somehow managed to hold on as the pace intensified.

Entering the final 800m, Hogarth put on the gas, and the gap between the two extended.

As he powered into the Caledonian stadium and around the track for the final 400m he held a handy 100m lead and won the title in 30min 3.68sec, with Wreford, the Canterbury champion, second in 30min 11.69sec and Brett Tingay (Canterbury) third in 30min 25.21sec.

"It was hell on that last lap. If I hadn't have gapped in, I think he would have got me," an exhausted Hogarth said of the threat Wreford posed to his chances.

Hogarth's victory capped off a very successful year in the sport.

He was a member of the University of Canterbury team that won the national road relay title last year.

He then went on to win the national 5000m and 3000m track titles and the national 3000m steeplechase and national half marathon titles, along with the bronze medal in the national cross-country last month.

But Saturday's road title will surely give him the greatest satisfaction as he looks forward to having a couple of weeks away from the sport before attempting to qualifying for the Commonwealth Games.

Hogarth is well aware of the pitfalls after achieving the B standard qualifying time but narrowly missing selection for the Beijing Olympic Games last year.

He attributed his victory on Saturday to hard work.

"I was absolutely sprinting, but when you're fit, you're fit. No way can you bull.... your way around 10km. You have to be in shape."

Second-placed Wreford is no stranger to Dunedin, finishing runner-up in last year's Moro Marathon to Rowan Hooper, who on Saturday finished fourth.

Otago road champion Matt Lambert was the best of the Otago team, finishing fifth in a new personal best time of 30min 43.43sec.