Athletics: Dale Warrender takes Rotorua Marathon

1.30pm

Tauranga's Dale Warrender overcame the wet and misty conditions to outpace main rival Phil Costley of Christchurch and win the 40th anniversary Rotorua Marathon today.

Warrender confirmed his fitness for the distance if selected for the Athens Olympics to win in a time of two hours 23 minutes and 40 seconds.

Costley was second in a time of 2:25:56 ahead of third placed Matt Dravitski (Scottish Harriers) in 2:26:55.

It was Warrender's second Rotorua triumph after having won in 1996.

He qualified for the Athens Olympics when he ran 2:12:58 at Fukuoka, Japan last December.

Warrender and Costley (Papanui Toc H) broke from a pack of six runners at the 20km mark to establish a lead.

The pair duelled for the next 10km until Warrender made a further break to open up a 45 second lead on Costley at 35km.

Last year's winner Todd Stevens (Scottish Harriers) was 14th in 2:39:34.

Mark Bright (Lynndale) finished eighth to win the World Masters Marathon championship title in 2:34:32.

Gisborne's Tracey Clissold held off three times Rotorua Marathon winner, and race record holder, Nyla Carroll (Papakura), to win the women's event in 2:43:15.

Carroll was second in 2:46:44 with Wellington's Gabrielle O'Rourke third in 2:49:05

Clissold's win marked a comeback for the former Auckland Marathon winner in 1995-96, after a six-year break.

Results: First six finishers. Men: 1 Dale Warrender (Otumoetai) 2:23:40, 2 Phil Costley (Papanui Toc H) 2:25:56, 3 Matt Dravitski (Scottish Harriers) 2:26:55, 4 Craig McKenzie (Hampton, Australia) 2:27:23, 5 Yasushi Fujiwara (Japan) 2:29:52, 6 Mark Hutchinson (Hibiscus Coast) 2:30:17.

Women: 1 Tracey Clissold (Gisborne) 2:43:15, 2 Nyla Carroll (Papakura) 2:46:44, 3 Gabrielle O'Rourke (Newtown) 2:49:05, 4 Nadell Gregg (Melbourne) 2:55:42, 5 Ruth Kingston (Lynndale) 2:58:34, 6 Julie Mason (Dunedin) 2:59:31.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)