Slick talent in surf race
ADF runners impress

Athletics

By SGT Rob Combe

Sydney’s City to Surf race unearthed the most promising running talent seen in the ADF for some time.

In a field of about 49,000 competitors, 45 runners from the ADF Running and Athletics Association, made the journey from Sydney to Bondi, taking out a number of individual and team categories.

In her first race outside of Townsville, 20 year old Army’s PTE Rhiannon Brown finished seventh female outright and won her age group by more than five minutes. Her finish time of 53 min 11 secs for the 14 km was the fastest ever by an ADF female and indicates she has the potential for state and national representation.

In the men’s category CAPT Kev Laws ran an excellent time of 47.11 min to finish in 40th position overall. But again it was a younger runner who stood out.

ABCK Stuart Chellis (HMAS Kuttabul) held off a fast-finishing CPL Wayne Heath to be second ADF runner home in 49.08 min and 67th place overall. Stuart has been promising a big performance for some time and took some of the more fancied runners by surprise with this outstanding performance.

With PTE Brown winning her age category and SGT Combe finishing third in the individual veteran category it made for a very successful day for ADF runners.

RESULTS

In the teams categories ADF athletes combined to take three firsts, three seconds and a third place as listed below:

• ADF Gunners, First, Government Departments (Wayne Heath 49.23, Jeremy Ross 49.45, Richard Quirk 51.46)
• ADF Meteors, First, Husband & Wife over 35 (Bruce Hem, 57.48 and Jo-Anne Hem, 63.41)
  
• ADF Defenders, First, Uniformed Services, (Jeff Rayner, 53.44, Frank Kresse, 55.32, Pat Thomas, 56.20)
  
• ADF Crusaders, Third Uniformed Services, (Daryl Hunter, 63.17, Jeffrey Leeke, 65.05, Nigel Thompson, 66.18)
  
• ADF Cheetahs, Second, Women’s Sporting Clubs (Kate Elphick, 74.17, Kate Fox, 81.52, Jessica Rodda, 87.54)
  
• ADF Striders, Second, Athletic Clubs (Wayne Hale, 52.50, Rhiannon Brown, 53.11, Michael Hutchesson, 65.41)
  
• ADF Old Salts, Second, Veterans, (Rob Combe, 49.36, Warren Matulick, 52.23, Andy Horsburgh 53.08)
  

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