Posted: December 1, 2005

Athletics: Warm Conditions Slow Zatopek Distance Runners

From David Monti

© 2005 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

Warm temperatures and an accompanying wind slowed distance runners at today's Telstra Zatopek Classic held in Olympic Park in Melbourne, Australia.

According to Athletics Australia, the mercury hit 28°C (82°C), depressing winning times in the men's and women's "Zatopek" 10,000m races to 29:07.30 and 33:17.78, respectively. The men made half-way in 14:25 while the women hit 5-K in about 16:15, but everyone slowed down in the second half.

"At halfway it was obvious that we weren’t going to get the qualifying (standard), so I just wanted to break 29 minutes," said men's winner Brett Cartwright referring to the men's "A" standard of 28:05.00. Kiwi Kate McIlroy won the women's race and 43 year-old Steve Moneghetti finished fourth in the men's race in 29:28.48.

In other races, Suzy Walsham won the women's 1500m by a wide margin in 4:09.34 (after Sarah Jamieson dropped on on the last lap with a hamstring injury), as did Donna MacFarlane in the women's steeplechase (9:51.60). Emily Brichacek posted a quality time in the U20 women's 3000m, winning easily in 9:21.48. Gareth Hyett of New Zealand (1:48.15) won the men's 800m in a close race over Nicholas Bromley (1:48.29), and Alastair Stevenson won a similarly close race in the men's 1500m over Collis Birmingham, 3:42.38 to 3:42.45. Peter Nowill won the men's steeplechase in 8:29.44.