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Newtown prepares to host blazing-fast 10,000m races
30 October 2019
Kapiti's Olympian miler Hamish Carson
is hoping to become one of New Zealand's fastest 10,000m
runners. The fastest time anyone has run in New Zealand in
the past twelve years is 29.33. Weather permitting, Carson
will have his eyes on that time. Last month he helped his
Wellington Scottish club win the national road relays by
running a course record last lap. Carson ran that lap in a
time that would have converted to 29.23 for
10,000m.
Carson will be racing at the Agency Group 10,000m race at Newtown Park on 9 November.
Carson will be joined by Waikato's Aaron Pulford, who is the national 10km Road Champion and the person who ran that 29.33 time, Christchurch's Oska Baynes, who is the current half marathon and marathon national champion, Rotorua's Michael Voss who is the current national 10,000m and 10km silver medalist, and Chris Dryden, who finished fourth at the recent national 10km champs. Baynes has a best 10km time of 30.07, Voss's best time is 30.24, and Dryden's best is 30.38. All fiver will be paced by New Zealand and Oceania 5000m champion Oli Chignell. Chignell is hoping to drag the quintet to historically fast times.
Katrina Andrew, the current national 10km champion from Auckland, will face a challenge from former national 10km champion and current Wellington 10km champion Sarah Drought. Andrew and Drought both hope to run fast times under 37 minutes. They will be chased by national trail running champion Mel Aitken and world-class masters runner Sally Gibbs.
Race meet organiser Nick Horspool says the Agency Group 10000m Festival is the biggest and fastest 10,000m event in New Zealand.
"Last year 40 percent of finishers managed a new personal best time and most of the top-ranked times in New Zealand were run here. We're hoping for the same success this year."
Agency Group 10,000m Festival boasts a hundred runners, over three separate races during the evening, all with experienced pacers, food, drinks, live commentary and music. Entry is free and media are welcome to attend.
Agency Group 10000m Festival timetable:
4.45pm
- B Race (40 mins+)
6.00pm - A Race (under 40 mins)
7.00pm - The Agency Group Invitational (under 33.30 mins)
ends
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