Hull siblings show they've got pace

READ TO MAKE HIS MOVE: Alex Hull (far right) won the Year 9 event at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Athletics Nationals.

Two Kerikeri runners have represented Northland at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Athletics Nationals, posting 1st and 6th in their respective age groups.

Brother and sister running duo Alex and Imogen Hull competed in the road race event with Alex achieving victory by winning the Year 9 boys 3km event earlier this month, and older sister Imogen achieving a respectable 6th in her senior girls 4km race.

Alex was nervous before his 3km race when he saw another competitor - Liam Barry from St Peter's College - on the start line whom he had faced in other events earlier in the year.

And the rivalry did not end there, with Alex trailing Liam for most of the race until the dying moments where he overtook him to clinch first place in 10 minutes 29 seconds - one second ahead of Liam.

When asked how he felt after such an emphatic performance, Alex said: "I was happy, but I didn't make a big deal out of it."

The younger of the Hulls puts his accomplishment down to dedication to training, and guidance from his older sister Imogen.

Imogen first spotted her little brother's potential for the sport after seeing his commendable efforts in the school cross country.

She then coaxed him into running and began building up the training until Alex began to surpass her in their training sessions.

The siblings have been training six days a week for the past two years, running mainly through the scenic Waitangi Forest and along Kerikeri's Inlet Rd.

The Hulls do not have access to the resources and funding that athletes in cities do, which makes their achievements even more outstanding, considering the challenges they have overcome throughout their running careers.

Alex and Imogen are looking forward to the New Year, where they hope to step up to greater heights starting with the Auckland Conference Race in early 2015.