Oli Chignell could not quite make it three Otago secondary school records in as many years in the 3000m last night, but he did record an emphatic win in the senior boys race.
Chignell (17), of John McGlashan College, clocked 9min 0.79sec in near perfect conditions at the Caledonian Ground, 3.46sec slower than Daniel Balchin's 2008 record.
The John McGlashan pupil was not helped by a lack of serious competition to push him, and having to weave around straggling runners.
He started well, completing the first 1800m in 5min 31.39sec to have a real shot at the record.
However, with 7min 55sec on the clock with 400m to go, it was always going to be a stretch to rewrite the record books.
Chignell still holds the Otago secondary schools boys under-15 (9min 26.04) and under-16 (9min 3.82) records, set in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Andrew Smith, of King's High School, was second in 9min 32.38sec, while Aaron Anderson, of Bayfield High School, was third in 9min 34.52sec.
Sammy Burke, of Mt Aspiring College, was the most impressive girl on the night.
Racing in the girls under-16 age group, she won in 10min 56.45sec, significantly quicker than the winner of the senior girls race, Kate Guildford, of Columba College, who won in 12min 07.88sec.
The other winners were: Malachi Buschl, of King's High School, in the boys under-16 race (9min 48.59sec), Gregor Findlay, of Mt Aspiring College, in the boys under-15 race (9min 30.35sec), Joe McKee, of Otago Boys' High School, in the boys under-14 race (10min 55sec), Isabelle Becconsall-Ryan, of Columba College, in the girls under-15 race (11min 20.95sec) and Sharnay Henderson, of South Otago High School, in the girls under-14 race (12min 13.92sec).
