Athletics: Potts remembered as Costley grabs victory

DUNEDIN - Hastings runner Phil Costley wore a black arm band during the New Zealand half-marathon championships in Dunedin yesterday and won the title in memory of his coach Sylvia Potts, who died recently.

Costley won in one hour six minutes two seconds, from Dunedin runner Allan Carman who was 10sec back and another Dunedin runner Glen Ferguson a distant third in 1:11.11.

It was fitting that Costley should win his second national half-marathon title in Dunedin.

Potts was the dominant Otago female athlete during the 1960s and early 1970s and represented New Zealand at the 1968 Olympic Games, 1970 and 1974 Commonwealth Games.

"When Allan [Carman] was putting in surges I thought of Sylvia when I was trying to hang on," Costley said.

"This was an important race to win in her memory."

Dunedin's Fiona McKee showed grit to sprint away from the bunch to win the women's half-marathon race. - NZPA