Cooking up an Aussie Classic

AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE: Australians dominated the mile podium at the Cooks Classic in Whanganui on Tuesday with winner Douglas Hamerlok flanked by countrymen Joshua Torley (left) and Andre Waring.

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 Steelform Roofing Group-sponsored 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 has yet to break the four minute barrier in his racing career, but appeared pleased to have gone so close given the conditions at Cooks Gardens.

The race was missing New Zealand Olympian Nick Willis this year, but still went to plan with New Zealand Schools road race champion Mitchell Small setting the early pace. Small pulled out after the first lap allowing the 63rd Cooks Gardens sub four minute miler, Eric Speakman, to take control.

Speakman continued a solid pace until stepping aside and allowing Hamerlok to take control with about 300m to go. Hamerlok had been lurking in the shadows in fourth place most of the race, but stepped on the gas once in front catching fellow countryman Torley a tad flat-footed.

Once balanced entering the home straight, Torley knuckled down and set out after Hamerlok and for a stride or two in the final 50m looked like catching him. Hamerlok, however, held on to win.

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

While not racing Willis was initially thought to be turning up at Cooks, but unfortunately did not make an appearance.

He has planned a relatively quiet schedule this year by his own demanding standards as he works toward making his fourth Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.

In coming third in Rio last year, Willis became the oldest man to win an Olympic medal in the 1500 metres. He is 34 on Anzac Day this year.