George Lambert
The Auckland Domain became a happy hunting ground for Whanganui athletes at the New Zealand Cross Country Championships at the weekend.
Athletes returned with three individual medals, while five further athletes from both Whanganui Harriers and Athletics Wanganui returned with team bronze medals after competing for the Manawatu/Whanganui Centre (MWA).
George Lambert, finishing second in the Under 15 race, demonstrated that he has learned much from earlier races this season.
At the New Zealand Secondary Schools champs, he successfully moved up a grade from Year 9 and relished both the longer race distance and also being part of a competitive team.
He was rewarded with seventh place in a race won by team mate Liam Back, while both gained silver medals as part of the successful Collegiate 3-to-score team.
Moving up a grade guaranteed a fast pace and the relatively simpler tactic of keeping in contact with the leading group.
A fortnight later, back in his own age group in Taupo, Lambert paid the penalty of front running from the gun and was mown down in the later stages of the race.
Therefore, at the weekend in Auckland, Lambert held back in the first lap and moved to second place over the second lap to be rewarded with a silver as he finished when closing on the winner - the well performed Finlay Seeds (Wellington).
This was another major step for this promising runner.
Ashleigh Alabaster ran well in good company to take third in the Under 15 grade with an excellent performance and was only a few seconds behind the other two medal winners.
Her team mate Ana Brabyn finished seventh. Both athletes are names to note for the future.
Liam Back, the New Zealand Secondary Schools winner in the Junior Grade back in June, not only stepped up a grade but also in distance from 4000m. Back had a difficult final week of preparation for the race.
He battled with the break-away group of four through the first half of the journey, and had fallen to fourth at the 4000m mark as he had to really work over the demanding final section of undulating and soft ground to hold his place at the finish.
The race was won by New Zealand Schools senior champion Samuel Tanner (Waikato/Bay of Plenty).
Back has two years left in the grade and did his selection chances no harm for the New Zealand team going to the ISF World Schools Championships in Paris, given he left a number of older candidates who had run in the senior grade at NZ Schools behind him in Auckland.
He gained some reward by winning a team bronze for the MWA team along with his Manawatu-based team mates Benjamin Wall (6th), Theo Purdy (14th) and Andre Le-Pine Day (27th) in a very competitive Under 18's team race.
Sarah Lambert, George's brother, continues to improve with every outing and should be delighted with her seventh place in a strong Under 18 women's field.
At New Zealand Schools she finished 27th and was Collegiate's second scorer, which helped secure team a team silver in both the 6 and 3-to-score.
On Saturday she significantly closed the gap on the top New Zealand athletes and also became the leading MWA finisher.
Her efforts helped secure a bronze team medal for her all-Whanganui based MWA team in Caitlyn Alabaster (13th), Marseille Bowie (17th), and Sarah Matthews (23rd).
It was wonderful to see a group of Whanganui Masters in the field.
Mignon Stephenson in 44th place for the combined Masters grades was rewarded with a bronze medal for her W60-64 division.
Paula Conder was 33rd across the line and Di Matthews was 37th.
In the men's, Jason Daws finished 24th with Rob Conder 54th.
The Domain in Auckland again provided an outstanding venue for the event, held in glorious winter sunshine.
There is much encouragement from both young and old for Whanganui based athletes.
Local Results
BU15: George Lambert (Whanganui Harrier) 2nd. GU15: Ashleigh Alabaster (Whanganui Harrier) 3rd; Ana Brayburn (Athletics Wanganui) 7th. WU18: Sarah Lambert (Whanganui Harrier) 8th; Caitlyn Alabaster (Whanganui Harrier) 13th; Marseille Bowie (Athletics Wanganui) 18th; Sarah Matthews (Whanganui Harrier) 23rd; Brittney Matthews (Whanganui Harrier) 24th. MU18: Liam Back (Athletics Wanganui) 4th; Thomas Conder (Whanganui Harrier) 41th; Ben Conder (Whanganui Harrier) 44rd. Masters Women: Mignon Stevenson (Whanganui Harrier) 3rd W60-64; Paula Conder (Whanganui Harrier) 10th W40-44; Di Matthews (Whanganui Harrier) 7th W50-54. Masters Men: Jason Daws (Whanganui Harrier) 10th M40-44; Rob Conder (Whanganui Harrier) 12th M45-49.