New dad Bathgate powers to Hill Free Half Marathon win

Nic Bathgate
Nic Bathgate
The recent birth of his daughter Zoe proved an added incentive for Dunedin’s Nic Bathgate.

He ran to victory in the annual Hill Free Half Marathon around rural Outram yesterday.

Last month Bathgate finished second to Romain Mirosa in the Dunedin Marathon, but going one better in this race in a personal best time of 1hr 18min 28.2sec was something special.He dedicated victory to his daughter Zoe, who was born on Thursday.

The 32-year-old proud father had little time to reflect on his victory as he rushed away to be with his wife and 3-day-old daughter.

"Happy and healthy with mum in hospital at the moment," he said.

"Feeding well. I’m pretty lucky my wife is so supportive, that I was able to come out and run this race," he said.

Countering a rapid start from a number of other competitors, Bathgate kept a cool head and eased his way into the race with sound pace judgement that soon had him running through the field to share the lead with Danny Baillie (Leith) after 2km. The two shared the lead while opening up a decisive gap on the field, while battling a nagging southerly wind.

Baillie fell away around the midway stage.

"I just put the pedal down and kicked hard," Bathgate said.

The race was keenly contested, attracting a field of around 100 competitors. Although the overall race was won by Bathgate, the Otago championship title was won by second-placed Baillie, as Bathgate is not registered with a club affiliated to the Otago Centre. Baillie clocked 1hr 22min 57.3sec. Casey Pearce was third overall in 1hr 23min 8.1sec.

Recently returned from her third world mountain running championship, Sophie Smith (Leith) was too strong for the women’s field. She led all the way to complete the race double of the Hill Free title and Otago Half Marathon title, crossing to finish in a time of 1hr 30min 30.5sec.

Smith (20), a second year pharmacy student, was using the run to get back into race mode after returning from the World Mountain Running Championships in Canillo, Andorra, four weeks ago.

With the pressure of international competition off her shoulders, she was able to relax and enjoy yesterday’s race, using it as a study break — the first of her university exams is on Thursday.

Donna Rutherford was second in 1hr 31min 34.5sec, with Sharon Lequeux third in 1hr 33min 19.7sec.

Last weekend Kirk Madgwick was helping guide his Hill City-University road relay team to a bronze medal at the National Road Relay, but yesterday he went back-to-back in retaining the 10km title held in association with the event.He won in a time of 35min 17.1sec. Oliver O’Sullivan placed second in 35min 27sec and Richard Campbell third in 36min 28sec.

Margie Campbell, who won the open women’s Queensland Marathon on the Gold Coast in July, won the open women’s 10km title in 36min 28sec from Lucia Vincent and Lydia Pattillo.

In the 10km walk, Tom Cockerill was first across the line in the men’s section in 1hr 13min 59.2sec, and Paula Parker won the women’s section in 1hr 20min 32.3sec.

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