Hunter-Galvin Defending Marathon Title

25 May 2012, 1:21PM
Femme

With a new sponsor and new course, the Christchurch Airport Marathon is another Canterbury earthquake recovery story. A year ago the event was forced out of the city to Lincoln where just over 3000 entries turned out. Scheduled this year for Sunday June 03, the course returns to Christchurch with a new route around Christchurch Airport.

One who turned out last year and is returning this year is defending champion Liza Hunter-Galvin. The former Olympian controversially chose the 2011 Christchurch Marathon as her first major race following a two year drug suspension. But she shrugged off media attention to claim her second Christchurch Marathon title.

The 42 year old has lived in San Antonio, Texas for 20 years. Coached by the late Arthur Lydiard, she went to the USA on a track and field scholarship. In 1999 the Christchurch Marathon was the first major win of her career. She went on to wear the silver fern at both the Athens and Beijing Olympics and clock a best time of 2hrs 29min to be among New Zealand’s 10 fastest female marathoners. But a positive test in 2009 for the blood boosting drug EPO cast doubt over everything she had done.

Hunter-Galvin’s win last year sparked national controversy and one of the most vocal, Wellington’s Gabrielle O’Rourke, will face her on the start line in Christchurch this year.

The 44 year old O’Rourke has also enjoyed considerable success in Christchurch, winning the Full Marathon in 1994 and the Half Marathon in 1998 and 1999. More recently Hunter-Galvin and O’Rourke finished first and second at Rotorua, so their re-match in Christchurch could be the race of the day.

Another runner returning to the site of past successes is Dale Warrander. The 38 year old, Warrander, based now on the Gold Coast, has won the Christchurch Half Marathon three times, including 2011 at Lincoln. But Christchurch’s full distance is the only major full marathon that has eluded him.

Warrander has won the Auckland and Rotorua marathons several times and wants to add the full distance at Christchurch. A dnf at Rotorua recently, when an old foot injury flared up, hasn’t put him off. He admits withdrawing in Rotorua to give his body a chance of being ready for the Christchurch race.

Warrander, however, knows he won’t have it easy in Christchurch. Former Rotorua and Christchurch Marathon runner-up Stephen O’Callaghan (Rotorua) is hoping to go one better back in the Garden City, as is Christchurch’s fast-improving Blair McWhirter, who was third last year and second at Rotorua.

Australian Vlad Shatrov is also looking for his first sub-2:20, but Warrander points to Timaru’s Sam Wreford as the most likely challenger.

Wreford is a quiet achiever on the national scene with an impressive best time of 2hr 19min. Warrander has a best of 2hrs 13min, but while Warrander withdrew with injury at Rotorua, Wreford confirmed his form by winning Christchurch’s annual Olympic 15k Road Race just days after returning from a training trip in Kenya.

With more than $25,000 up for grabs, including $1000 bonuses for any winner who can break the race records of 2hrs 15min 12secs for men (Tom Birnie, 1985) and 2hrs 35min for women (Naenai Sasaki, 1982), the Christchurch Airport Marathon has once again lined up the country’s best runners.

Just 18 months after the start of the Canterbury earthquakes, entries for the new-look Christchurch Airport Marathon are beginning to climb again. In 2010 organisers had the biggest ever entry for the event at 5800 starters. Following the earthquakes 2011 dipped to 3300, but entries look likely to reach 4000. Entries are still open. Visit www.christchurchmarathon.co.nz.

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