Athletics: Double success for Counties

By MURRAY McKINNON

Counties Manukau opened the Auckland harrier season with a double victory in the annual Southland Centennial Shield cross-country relays at Mt Roskill.

In both the men's (five laps) and women's (three laps) relays the placings were the same - Counties winning from Bays Cougars and Lynndale.

Mark Pulman had a close tussle with Stephen Smith of Frankton over the first lap, breaking clear near the finish to put Counties on the winning way.

Phil Clode followed up with a 9m 7s for the 3000m lap to further increase their lead. Damian Shirley made his way around the course in bare feet to hand over to Ken Keyte, and Counties newcomer Scott Winton anchored them home in a smart 9m 8s.

Kerry Rodger, who turned 40 last month and who was running for Lynndale, was a surprised winner of the fastest individual lap honours with 8m 51s.

Lesley Morton, the 1992 Barcelona Olympian, led the women's field over the first lap, heading in the Takapuna veteran women's team in 10m 48s. Rachel Penney made up a 70m deficit at the change to put Counties in front on the next lap and Kimberley Smith, with the fastest individual time of 10m 5s, had no trouble securing the win.

Toni Hodgkinson, in her first race since giving birth to her daughter eight months ago, ran the final lap for Bays Cougars and returning the fourth fastest overall women's time of 10m 43s.

Auckland University made it four years in a row in the veteran men's relay and Takapuna teams took the top placings in the veteran women's.

* Sarah Christie, of Wellington, beat 3000 runners to win the annual Nike women's 8km road race from Newmarket to Mission Bay in 26min 31s.