Athletes pass baton to next generation

ROLE MODEL: Olympian Lucy van Dalen is flanked by Wanganui athletes Jane Lennox, left, Caitlyn Alabaster and a one-time coach of all three, Alec McNab, at the New Zealand Cross Country Championships in Christchurch at the weekend. PHOTO/SUPPLIED 050815WCSUPATHLETES

GOOD role models play a vital part in the lives of young people and in New Zealand athletics there are few better than Olympian Lucy van Dalen. This was clearly evident by the reaction of two young Wanganui athletes at Halswell Quarry attending the New Zealand Country Championships at the weekend.

Formerly from Wanganui and now living in Auckland, Van Dalen had just won the New Zealand Cross Country Championship when she met and spoke to Jane Lennox and Caitlyn Alabaster. The two young athletes had positioned themselves at a key point of the course and had encouraged van Dalen on each of the four laps.

Van Dalen was clearly beginning to put pressure on the home Cantabrian Rachel Kingsford when they passed for the third time. Kingsford worked hard to narrow the gap but a solid effort over the hilly section on the final lap stretched the gap to give van Dalen an excellent first championship title.

Van Dalen should be delighted with her performance on the firm course in only her second cross country in eight years after her university education in the US and her injury break. This was an important step for the Adrian Blincoe-coached athlete on the eve of an Olympic year.

Earlier in the afternoon, the young Wanganui athletes witnessed the impressive win by Rosa Flanagan (Canterbury) in the Under-20 women. The diminutive Flanagan, who a few weeks earlier had finished 5th at the World University Games in the Steeplechase as a 19-year-old, won the race by a minute. Flanagan, who departs for Beijing and her debut at the World Championships, will quickly become a role model for young athletes.

Jane Lennox, who finished 14th in the Under-18 race, can take much from her performance. Her preparation was interrupted by illness which probably had more effect on confidence than performance. Lennox had a slow start but worked well on the hill section to move up into the top 10. On the home straight she was outsprinted and dropped to 14th.

Only four seconds separated 10th to 14th and 10 seconds from 8th to 14th. Lennox did her selection chances for the World Schools in Hungary next year no harm as she finished ahead of at least three other contenders. This race becomes a back-up performance to the main selection race in June at the NZSS Schools Championships where Lennox was 7th. The team will be announced next week.

Caitlyn Alabaster ran in a small but very strong Under-15 field and should be delighted with her 8th place. Alabaster still has a year in the grade and is just starting on her running career. She combines running with netball. This combination adds variety to the sporting life of this promising young runner. It is interesting that Lucy van Dalen had a similar combination as a young athlete.

Christian Conder finished 6th in the Under-18 men's race and although he will probably be a little disappointed, he, like Lennox, has done his selection for World Schools no harm. He was caught in a slower tactical battle that clearly did not suit his free-flowing running style.

He did take his share of the lead in the opening two of three laps but seemed to ease back to allow the leading pack of 10 to keep in close contact. Conder was unable to react to a surge on the hills 1600m from home on the 6000m race. Conder will bounce back quickly, hopefully, in Australia at the end of the month when he again goes into battle with the runners ahead of him and also the leading runners in the Under-20 field when he competes with the 10-strong New Zealand Schools team.

Conder was ahead of most of them at the North Island Championships in early July but being one of the favourites adds pressure for young athletes. Conder will learn from the experience. The leading Wanganui young athletes in Christchurch have exciting running careers ahead of them and hopefully they too will become the role models of the future.