Aussies cook up a classic

The magic four minute barrier was not breached, but a new record was created in the One Mile Championship at Cooks Gardens in Whanganui on Tuesday night.

For the first time ever an Australian won the coveted event at the Cooks Classic and in fact on Tuesday provided the trifecta in the race.

Douglas Hamerlok from the University of Tasmania Athletics Club took control from about the 300-metre mark to hold off a strong challenge from ACT Athletics runner Joshua Torley with fellow Australian Andre Waring rounding out the podium line-up.

Hamerlok stopped the clock at 4.04.45, just shy of the magic mark and righted a wrong dealt to him at the Potts Classic in Hastings last Saturday.

"I was clipped and tripped up in the 800m in Hastings, so didn't really have a run under my belt for tonight," Hamerlok said immediately after the race.

"It was quite windy out there too, although my body felt okay."

He had yet to break the four minute barrier, but appeared pleased to have gone so close given the conditions.

Hamerlok now looks forward to the 3000m at the Capital Classic in Wellington on Friday.