A strong run in yesterday's Waikato-Bay of Plenty road running championships at The Lakes in Tauranga has convinced leading Rotorua runner Steven O'Callaghan the podium is within reach at next month's national championships in Wellington.
O'Callaghan sauntered to the senior men's 10km title at the weekend, on the five lap course around the revitalised subdivision development in 31min 36sec and pronounced himself ready for a tilt at the nationals around the Wellington waterfront on September 1.
While he's not predicting gold in what's likely to be a classy Wellington-dominated senior men's field, a medal is on the cards.
"That was beautiful, perfect conditions, and I'm pretty happy with that time," said O'Callaghan, who held off the challenge of fellow Rotorua runner Nick Pannett by almost 30sec, with Tauranga Ramblers masters runner Michael Pugh challenging before slipping 7sec behind Pannett, with the leading three more than two minutes ahead of the chasing pack.
Tauranga's Ben Ruthe (34.09), in a surprise comeback to competition, was second senior man and fourth overall.
O'Callaghan has come off a disappointing crosscountry season, which culminated in 18th at the nationals in Te Rapa two weeks ago, with the tarmac clearly his surface of choice.
"My PB for the half marathon is 1.07.30, so I'm keen to have a crack at that as part of the Auckland marathon but this was probably a better build-up for Wellington. I wouldn't say I go in with huge hopes of doing well because you never can tell until you see who fronts on the day, but if I'm knocking on the door of a medal I'd be pretty happy."
O'Callaghan lacked competition and was disappointed in the no-show of national rep Aaron Pulford, who was sick, and Ramblers runners Iain and Kyle Macdonald.
"Being on a Sunday probably meant the Mac twins had to chose between this and their marathon training, and if you do this you lose your long run so that's probably fair enough."
The race for the 10km senior women's title was far closer, with Ramblers runner Sally Gibbs adding to her burgeoning collection of titles with a superbly tactical win over well-performed Waikato runner/triathlete Mikayla Neilson (Hamilton City Hawks) and her New Zealand teammate for the world mountainrunning champs, Helen Rounrtree (Hamilton City).
Neilson, second at the national crosscountry champs, had a slight edge for most of the race before Gibbs hit the lead in the final lap and finished strongest, heading off Neilson by 30sec.
WAIKATO BAY OF PLENTY ROAD RUNNING CHAMPS
2km:
Girls 10: 1 Sophie Young (Camb) 8.11, 2 Jazz Russell (Mt Joggers) 10.25.
Boys 10: 1 Andrew Creighton (Tga Ramblers) 7.58, 1 Ian Pugh (Tga Ramb) 8.51, 3 Jeb Jager (Te Puna School) 8.52.
Girls 12: 1 Arleah Tippins (Tga Ramb) 7.48, 2 Hana Stubbing (Lake City) 7.49, 3 Brooke Sweeney (Te Aroha) 8.02.
Boys 12: 1 Isaiah Priddey (Ham City Hawks) 6.34
3km:
Girls 14: 1 Paige Satchwell (Lake City) 10.39, 2 Tayla Sweeney (Te Aroha) 11.48. 3 Olivia Hines (Tga Ramb) 11.58.
Boys 14: 1 Finn Myles (Ham City Hawks) 10.40, 2 Cam Harcourt (Camb) 11.41, 3 Sam Averill (Bethlehem College) 11.56.
5km:
Women 16: 1 Anneke Grogan (Tga Ramb) 18.56, 2 Ariana Lord (Ham City Hawks) 19.19, 3 Lauren Anning (Beth Coll) 19.29.
W19: 1 Melissa Beeler (Tga Ramb) 18.47.
Masters W40: 1 Petra Creighton (Tga Ramb) 20.59, 2 Karyn McCready (Ham City Hawks) 21.11. MW50: 1 Maureen Leonard (Ham City Hawks) 21.19. MW60: 1 Kathy Howard (Lake City) 25.50. MW55: 1 Michelle Curnow (Ham City Hawks) 27.32. MW70: 1 Iris Hansen (Tga Ramb) 39.12. MW75: 1 Pauline Hewitt (Ham City Hawks) 30.20.
6km:
Men 16: 1 Jacob Priddey (Ham City Hawks) 18.58, 2 Oliver Mclean (Ham City Hawks) 22.00, 3 Matt Scott (Ham City Hawks) 22.10.
8km:
Men 19: 1 Tim Stewart (Ham City Hawks) 25.29, 2 Theunis Peters (Ham City Hawks) 27.52, 3 Connor Gyde (Ham City Hawks).
10km:
Senior men: 1 Steve O'Callaghan (Lake City) 31.36, 2 Nick Pannett (Lake City) 32.00, 3 Ben Ruthe (Tga Ramb) 34.09.
Masters men 35: 1 Michael Pugh (Tga Ramb) 32.07, 2 Adrian Lysaght (Lake City) 35.14. MM40: 1 Glenn Sexton (Ham City Hawks) 34.23. MM45: 1 Tony Olsen (Ham City Hawks) 34.13, 2 John Caie (Tga Ramb) 34.33, 3 John Crane (Ham City Hawks) 34.45. MM50: 1 Bruce Edwards (Lake City) 35.49.
Senior women: 1 Sally Gibbs (Tga Ramb) 35.45, 2 Mikayla Neilson (Ham City Hawks) 36.14, 3 Helen Rountree (Ham City Hawks) 36.34.