Published with special thanks to Athletics Australia- visit http://athletics.com.au/
GOLD for Wellings & Robinson at the Australian Road Running Championships
Eloise Wellings (NSW) and Brett Robinson (Vic) have capped off their 2016 season with victory at the Australian Road Running Championships, held as part of the Sunday Mail City-Bay Fun Run in Adelaide (SA).
Competing alongside some of Australia’s most formidable distance runners including Olympians Madeline Hills(NSW) and Liam Adams (Vic), the duo were strong across the 12-kilometre course despite challenging headwinds to clock 39:07 and 35:58 for victory respectively.
Wellings’ win makes it a third consecutive gold medal as part of the elite race at the City-Bay Fun Run, with the mother-of-one looking forward to down time with her family ahead of the Zatopek:10 in December.
“I’m stoked. I felt really good out there despite a huge headwind. If I had of known I was going to feel that good I probably would have planned to have a crack at the record. I’m pumped about the win, my third in a row, it’s a great way to end what’s been a fantastic season,” Wellings said.
“Now it’s time to switch off and relax though, reset for next season and next year. I’ll probably do a couple of road races in the next month or so but they’ll just be about participating. I’m going to run the Zatopek but until then I’ll be letting my hair down a bit.”
Wellings was joined on the podium by Hills (second, 40:21) and Tarli Bird (Vic, third, 41:28).
Hills’ medal winning result continues her outstanding year that features the national crown in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, a top-eight finish at Rio 2016 Olympic Games and career best results in both the 3000m steeplechase and 5000m.
Robinson’s win is his first on the Adelaide (SA) course and his maiden national road running title.
“I’m very happy with this result. The pace wasn’t on too much, we had a headwind for about 10 of the 12 kilometres we ran so no one wanted to take it on at the front but that suited me, for sure. It came down to a sprint, I went as hard I could with about a kilometre to go and was able to hold on,” Robinson said.
“It’s been a mixed year. There have been races that didn’t go the way that I had hoped, but I turned that around to make a final in Rio and now I have this to close out my campaign. I took a little bit of time off after the Olympics and am now getting back into it. I feel like I am headed in the right direction and am looking forward to running a half-marathon in Melbourne and then the Zatopek to close out 2016.”
Jack Rayner (Vic, second, 36:05) stood next to Robinson on the men’s podium as silver medallist, with Jack Colreavy (NSW, third 36:06) rounding out the top-three. Olympic marathoner, Adams, placed 5th in 36:20.
