Tears of joy

EMOTIONAL: Nelson athlete Jared Lautenslager sheds tears of joy as he hugs father and coach Greg after winning his first national title at the Cooks Classic in Whanganui on Tuesday.

In an emotional finish to the junior men 3000-metre event at the Cooks Classic in Whanganui, a new national champion was crowned.

Youthful Jared Lautenslager from the Tasman club in Nelson out-finished Whanganui's own Christian Conder to claim the New Zealand under-20 title.

The 18-year-old punched the air as he crossed the line before dropping to the ground shedding tears of joy. He then returned to his feet and tearfully hugged his dad and coach Greg Lautenslager in celebrating his first ever national title.

"That's been six years in the making,' Lautenslager said immediately after the race.
"I've been denied a title that long. I am absolutely rapt to have it now and to beat Christian was a bonus. We have competed against each other many times over the years."

Last season Lautenslager was ranked eighth in the junior ranks with a personal best of 8.37.68 for the 3000m. On Tuesday in slightly windy conditions Lautenslager clocked 8.37.96.

Conder, a three-time New Zealand Schools international, was also rapt with his performance for second.

"It shows I'm coming back to full fitness after suffering niggling injuries since April last year,' Conder said.

Those injuries and subsequent performances had pushed him back to 23 in the 3000m junior rankings.

"I really feel like I'm getting back to my best, I'll compete in the 1500m at the Capital Classic in Wellington on Friday."

He will meet Lautenslager again in the 1500m in Wellington.

On Tuesday both Conder and Lautenslager stalked the field running in he shadows just behind the leaders until the final lap.

At the bell, Conder strode to the lead and attempted to ally the pressure. He was followed by Lautenslager who ran past the Whanganui athlete in the run to the line.

Meanwhile, new New Zealand 3000m junior woman (under-20) champion Hannah O'Connor from New Plymouth looks to have a bright future after convincingly winning at Cooks Gardens on Tuesday.

The 16-year-old went straight to the front and was never headed, in fact, she even lapped several rivals when clocking 9.33.40 for the 3000m trip.

Another running against the older women was Whanganui 13-year-old sprinting find, Genna Maples.

Maples finished second in the the under 18 women's 100m dash behind Lauren Henry, an improvement from her run at the Potts Classic in Hastings last Saturday.

Maples finished out of the podium placings behind the highly-rated Zoe Hobbs who did not race at Cooks on Tuesday.

"Tonight I did beat a girl who beat me in Hastings, so I was happy about that,' Maples said.