Queenstown Marathon defenders reclaim titles, new women’s record set

Daniel Jones and Hannah Oldroyd​ claimed back-to-back wins on the 2023 New Zealand Sotheby’s Worldwide Realty Queenstown Marathon, defending their titles from final 12 months.

Christchurch-based Oldroyd set a brand new course document together with her fourth title on the occasion, finishing it in 2:49:58 – two minutes quicker than the document she set in 2018.

She was practically eight minutes quicker than Alex Barnes in second, with Hannah Maher third.

Oldroyd was stunned to study she had set a brand new document.

“My technique is to at all times exit slowly, however I simply didn’t take a look at the watch [and] I simply ran in order that was in all probability a silly factor to do,” she stated.

Jones claimed his third victory on the Queenstown Marathon, ending the course in 2:31:13, with Ben Gatting two minutes behind in second, and Lithuanian runner Orestas Rimkus in third.

“I’m feeling fairly stoked,” he stated.

“I’ve been again coaching fairly effectively for the final six weeks and I felt nearly able to get in a very good marathon at present.”

It was a bluebird day for greater than 11,000 registered runners collaborating within the marathon, half-marathon, 10km run and youngsters run.

The most important occasion was the half-marathon with main triathlete Braden Currie successful in a time of 1:11:12, adopted by Lithuanian runner Paulius Auryla and Mike Phillips in third.

Wānaka-based Currie stated his first half-marathon in Queenstown was enjoyable.

“I didn’t plan to show up and go very arduous however as soon as I bought operating, I felt fairly cozy and carried on,” he stated.

Dunedin’s Rebekah Greene additionally set a brand new course document, operating the half-marathon in 1:16:47.

She misplaced half a minute initially ready for her associate to move on her race bib, which threw her at first, she stated.

“I wished the race to be comfy but in addition arduous, however I knew it was a great distance so if I used to be hurting at 10k it was going to be a endure fest, so I simply tried to choose off folks in entrance of me after which tried to run with them a bit and so they actually helped me.”

Greene shared the rostrum with Katie Morgan in second and Hannah Berry, third.

Olympic and Commonwealth Video games monitor cycle medallist Eddie Dawkins completed the marathon in a time of 5.33.18.

In the meantime, Queenstown volunteer firefighter Jamie Harris accomplished the half-marathon sporting his full hearth preventing tools in 3:08:06.

A daily fundraiser for Leukaemia and Blood Most cancers NZ whereas collaborating within the Sky Tower Problem, his efforts had grow to be extra private after his sister was just lately identified with leukaemia.