<05.08.07> MACFARLANE - THE STAR OF STATE CROSS COUNTRY TITLES

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05 Aug 2007

MACFARLANE - THE STAR OF STATE CROSS COUNTRY TITLES

 

Tasmania’s female athlete of the year, Donna MacFarlane has topped off her preparation for the World Athletics Championships in August at the end of the month with an emphatic victory in the State Cross Country Championships held at Pontville in Southern Tasmania today (Sunday).

 

The Commonwealth Games steeplechase bronze medallist completed the 8km journey in 28mins6secs, almost the identical time (one second faster) to that she ran when taking the Australian Championship silver medal on the same course a year ago.

 

“Taking into account that Donna ran on her own for most today’s race and that it was essentially a training run, without the incentive to chase other athletes, it was a very encouraging performance for what lies ahead,” AT President Brian Roe said.

 

MacFarlane led home Sandy Bay team mate, Andrea Marquardt (33:14) and Emma Weitnauer (Northern Suburbs).

 

Grant Page added yet another Tasmanian title to his growing collection with a good win in the men’s senior 12km event, albeit with a much narrower margin than MacFarlane enjoyed. Page from the Northern Suburbs Club won in 40:04, holding off the Sandy Bay pair of Jarrod Shaw (40:20) and Daniel Smee (41:50).

 

Libby Clarke (Newstead) continued to impress with victory in the under 20 women’s 6km championship in 22:40 – an excellent preparation for the Telstra Australian Titles to be held in Perth in four weeks time, where she will be one of the medal favourites in her age group.

 

Ryan Foster (Sandy Bay) took the under 20 8km men’s title in 29:14 whilst Josh Harris (Tamar) defeated the strongest field of the day to take the under 18 6km in 21:00.

 

Hobart – 5 August 2007

[full results will be available on the website – www.tasathletics.org.au]

 

Further information: Brian Roe                                                      0438 604 571