THE only Air Force member of a 21-man ADF
athletics side has run a credible placing in the men’s open
race against Kiwi military counterparts.
Flight Lieutenant Richard Gardiner finished third in a race that
was always going to be tough for the ADF competitors to take individual
honours because the field included Leading Aircraftman Kim Hogarth,
the NZ national 3km steeplechase champion. As expected, LAC Hogarth
pulled away to win.
The race was part of a recent tour of New Zealand where the ADF
athletes strode out against the NZ Air Force then took on the
best civilian runners in the NZ National Road Relay Championship.
The 8km road race, on the north island, was held in strong gusty
winds and rain.
Army’s Corporal Stephanie Hall won the ladies race by nearly
two minutes and the ADF won both team events.
The second race was on the south island where the ADF teams were
pitted against strong distance runners, who made up 138 teams
in the event.
The ADF’s men’s open team managed to take out second
place in B Grade. The veterans and women’s teams put in good
performances but did not place.
