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http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1106/S00069/internationals-crush-christchurch.htm
Internationals Crush Christchurch
Sunday, 5 June 2011, 6:45 pm
Press Release: SBS Marathon
Almost 4000 runners from 13 countries shrugged off Canterbury’s recent woes and challenging g weather to line up for the SBS Marathon in Christchurch today. But it was international athletes who carried off the spoils.
Following the disaster of February 22 organisers weren’t sure they could stage the 31st running of the South Island’s premier marathon event. The traditional Christchurch Town Hall venue and inner city route is unusable. But public support saw them put together an alternative race at Lincoln on the outskirts of Christchurch.
Race Director Chris Cox says they were overwhelmed by the support for the annual Queens Birthday Weekend event. “Everyone from top runners to first timers to locals to visitors to volunteers to councils to sponsors has been great. We knew we couldn’t expect our usual turn out of close to 6000 runners, but to get almost 4000 was well above what we’d expected.”
The racing didn’t quite go as expected either. In the feature full marathon event former Christchurch star Phil Costley, was expected to notch up his third win at the SBS event. But in an exciting race that saw the lead exchanged four times in the final 10k, the end result produced a surprise winner from Singapore.
A year ago Ying Ren Mok was a former triathlete trying his hand at serious running when he managed a respectable 11th place in the SBS Half Marathon event. So no one expected him to be such a threat today. As expected, Costley established himself at the front of the race through the first lap. But Mok stayed close and at the 30k mark actually moved ahead into the lead.
Costley faught back, passing the Singapore runner and looked to have the race won. But Mok came back again. They ran together for a kilometre and then Costley tried to pull away again, only to have Mok lift the pace even more. This time the 41 year old Nelson school teacher had to bow to the younger legs of the Singapore runner.
Ying Ren Mok actually came to Christchurch hoping to break the Singapore national marathon record of 2hrs 24min. But the cold, windy conditions meant record running was unlikely. But Mok still managed a respectable 2hrs 26min 34secs, saying, “It was very hard. It was windy and Phil was strong. I had to run very hard to win, so I am happy.”
Internationals Crush Christchurch
Sunday, 5 June 2011, 6:45 pm
Press Release: SBS Marathon
Almost 4000 runners from 13 countries shrugged off Canterbury’s recent woes and challenging g weather to line up for the SBS Marathon in Christchurch today. But it was international athletes who carried off the spoils.
Following the disaster of February 22 organisers weren’t sure they could stage the 31st running of the South Island’s premier marathon event. The traditional Christchurch Town Hall venue and inner city route is unusable. But public support saw them put together an alternative race at Lincoln on the outskirts of Christchurch.
Race Director Chris Cox says they were overwhelmed by the support for the annual Queens Birthday Weekend event. “Everyone from top runners to first timers to locals to visitors to volunteers to councils to sponsors has been great. We knew we couldn’t expect our usual turn out of close to 6000 runners, but to get almost 4000 was well above what we’d expected.”
The racing didn’t quite go as expected either. In the feature full marathon event former Christchurch star Phil Costley, was expected to notch up his third win at the SBS event. But in an exciting race that saw the lead exchanged four times in the final 10k, the end result produced a surprise winner from Singapore.
A year ago Ying Ren Mok was a former triathlete trying his hand at serious running when he managed a respectable 11th place in the SBS Half Marathon event. So no one expected him to be such a threat today. As expected, Costley established himself at the front of the race through the first lap. But Mok stayed close and at the 30k mark actually moved ahead into the lead.
Costley faught back, passing the Singapore runner and looked to have the race won. But Mok came back again. They ran together for a kilometre and then Costley tried to pull away again, only to have Mok lift the pace even more. This time the 41 year old Nelson school teacher had to bow to the younger legs of the Singapore runner.
Ying Ren Mok actually came to Christchurch hoping to break the Singapore national marathon record of 2hrs 24min. But the cold, windy conditions meant record running was unlikely. But Mok still managed a respectable 2hrs 26min 34secs, saying, “It was very hard. It was windy and Phil was strong. I had to run very hard to win, so I am happy.”
