ATHLETICS: Calder heads off young rivals

Whangarei's Ian Calder showed a clean pair of heels to much younger opponents when he powered around 10km for gold in the Northland Road Running Championships.
Calder, 53, chose to compete in the premier senior men's championship on Saturday, rather than his masters' age-group of 50-54 years.
"I was hoping there would be more top runners here," he said. Both Tim Goodwin, the 2010 champion, and Mark Turner, the current cross-country champion, were non-starters.
"I'm training for the New Zealand Road Champs on August 20 and this is part of my training," he said. Calder wanted a fast time but it was windy and he was forced to abandon his planned kilometre times, settling for an overall time of 35m 58s. Nevertheless, he is ready for windy conditions in Wellington. "I'll just sit in with a pack [sheltering from the wind] and see how I go," he said.
Hatea's 23-year-old Jonny Creelman looked set to challenge Calder as the pair matched strides over the first 2km of the new, flat and potentially fast course at Ruakaka, but faltered, losing contact as they turned and ran into the gusting wind funnelling over the exposed, yet to be developed site. Calder gradually extended his lead during the remaining three laps, finishing 27sec ahead of Creelman, who fought on valiantly.
Hatea's Harry Linford followed up his recent cross-country title, taking gold in the M16 grade over 5km, in the fast time of 18m 09s, well clear of Shintaro Fushida-Hardy's 20m 32s.
Hatea's new recruit Chubby Hale, 21), triumphed in the women's championship over 7.5km, crossing the line smiling in 34m 26s for gold, ahead of the Whangarei pair, Delwyn Smith, in 36m 37s, and Jenna Smith in 42m 11s. Hale enjoys keeping fit but is new to competitive running.
"I come from a cycling background and as well as cycling I run with the Whangarei harriers on Wednesday nights and do a little bit in the pool as well," she said.
Competing up two grades in the W20 race over 5km, Whangarei's Imogen Hull had no trouble winning gold in an excellent 20m 43s - a time that suggests she would have been capable of challenging Hale for the senior women's title.
In the W17 race over 5km, Whangarei's Rachyl Edge took gold in 23m 31s, while her clubmate, Natsuko Fushida-Hardy, won silver in 25m 38s.
Whangarei runners had the combined 2.5km field of boys and girls to themselves, with no Hatea runners competing.
Amanda Still gave a standout performance, taking gold in the G14 in 9m 50s, while Portia Olney-Kemp won gold in the G12, in 11m 20s, heading off Katelin Milina, in 12m 37s.
Lewis Miller showed excellent form in the B12 race, scoring gold in 10m 49, ahead of Justin Smith, in 12m 10s.
Masters' runners fought hard for overall placings and age-group titles, with the men racing 10km and the women 5km.
Mike Gowing, Whangarei, was first man, heading off three Hatea men - Ken Walker, Anson Clapcott and John Kent - while Janice Powell was first woman overall, followed by Denise Limby, Tina Maher, all Whangarei, and Judith Bradshaw from Hatea.