Athletics: Inkster-Baynes claims NZ Half Marathon Champs

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Oska Inkster-Baynes repeated his New Zealand Half Marathon Championship winning performance of four years ago, taking out his second NZ title in Christchurch Saturday at the Christchurch Airport Marathon.

The Christchurch 25-year-old won the national title from a fast finishing Aaron Pulford from Thames Harriers, recording 1:06:34, with Pulford getting the same time.

Inkster-Baynes from the New Brighton Olympic club ran at the front of the lead bunch for the entire race, heading a group of five to the half way mark before edging ahead.

Confusion at the end resulted in Inkster-Baynes running off the course in the final metres of the race, climbing under a barrier to get back on course to finish just in front of Pulford.

Rotorua teenager Michael Voss, winner of the recent Rotorua Half Marathon finished third in 1:06:50, gaining his first senior national championship medal.

The women's race was won by Olivia Burne from Auckland in a personal best of 1:15:31, 36 seconds ahead of Rowan Torckler (Hamilton City Hawks) with defending champion Lydia O'Donnell from Auckland in third place.

Twenty-four year old Burne from Auckland City Athletics lead the all the way to the finish and while Torckler made up ground over the closing stages, the gap proved too big.

It was Burne's first New Zealand senior title, having won the Under 20 3000m championship in 2009 before heading to the US on a university scholarship. She has been back in New Zealand for two years and is relishing running back in Auckland.

The Christchurch Airport Marathon was won by New Zealand Mountain Running champion Dougal Thorburn in 2:24:51, while Liza Hunter Galvin was the leading woman in 2:50:11.

Fastest in the 10km races were Sean Eustace in 31:25 and Alice Wilson with 38:22.