Harriers: Victory achieved after two decades of trying

Mark Speakman achieved his goal after two decades of trying.

After more than 20 years of trying Mark Speakman won the Napier Harriers Queen's Birthday handicap road races senior-masters men's title on Monday.

The father of New Zealand middle-distance representative and Olympic Games hopeful Eric Speakman crossed the finish line at the end of the 9km race seven seconds ahead of fast finishing back markers and fellow Napier harriers Lucas Duross and Kristian Day.

Speakman's actual time was 36m 51s. Duross gained the fastest time in the SpecSavers Hastings/Total Food Equipment-sponsored event with 29m 28s, two seconds faster than Day.

Hastings United's Phil McKay was the fastest masters man in 36m 4s, 32 seconds faster than his nearest rival Jason Petuha of Napier Harriers.

Napier's Phillipa Layton claimed yet another victory in the women's race and made the most of her handicap over 4.5km to win by 1s from the fast finishing Nina Petuha with Kirsten Foulds 30s behind completing the Napier trifecta. Layton's actual time was 27m, Petuha's 23m 21s and Foulds 22m 12s.

Fastest times went to Napier's Kate O'Malley in the senior women's grade in 18m 15s and Karen Moore in the masters women's grade with 18m 41s.

There was another Napier trifecta in the boys 14-19 4.5km race. Sam Gilbert won by 3s from back marker Oliver Marshall who in turn was 26s ahead of third placegetter Ethan Green. The actual time for Gilbert was 18m 18s, Marshall 15m 51s which also gave him fastest time and Green recorded 19m 57s.

Guest runners from St John's College also participated in the boys 16 and under grade with Mark Day the fastest in 15m 40s. Hamish Ross was second in 16m 52s and Ethan Kerins third in 17m 15s.

Zac Manning won the boys 19 and under grade in 17m 12s, 22s faster than Hayden Snell.

Napier's Ella Hogan won the girls 14-19 years 4.5km race by 1m. Her time of 22m 1s was also the fastest in the 14 and under grade.

Her clubmate and second place-getter Laura Langley won the 19 and under grade, in 23m 19s and Sophie Hogan completed another Napier trifecta with an actual time of 19m 45s. Fastest time in this race went to Napier 16 and under grade's Emily Dunn with 18m 17s.

In the combined 12 and under race new Napier member Abby Cheer started off first over the 2km distance and hung on for a comfortable victory in 9m 56s.

Hastings United's brother-and-sister combo, Isabelle and James Dillon, were second and third.

Isabelle recorded 9m 9s and James stopped the clock at 8m 45s. Fastest time in the girls' section went to Napier's Aniela Apperley in 7m 44s and Napier's Oliver Berry was the fastest boy in 7m 46s.

In the cubs' section over 1km, it was another Napier trifecta with Sam McHale, Riley Peach and Douglas Roberts in respective times of 3m 24s, 3m 32s and 3m 39s.