Another 10km Title for Stenson

Published Tue 14 Jun 2022

South Australian distance runners have continued their good form in recent days, with some outstanding performances laid down in Tasmania.

Hills Districts Athletics Club runner and multiple Olympian Jessica Stenson won the Women's 10km at the Launceston Running Festival in Tasmania on Sunday (June 12), managing a PB 31:49 to break the course record.

Stenson last month won SA's Open Women's State 10km Road Championship Title, running 32:59 at the West Beach course.

In the Men's 10km Flinders' Riley Cocks ran third in Launceston, finishing in 29:06, ahead of the fourth placed Adelaide Harriers runner Adrian Potter (29:08), who was recently crowned as SA's Open Men's State 10km Road Champion,

Luke Mitchell (30:41), Harrison Bagley (30:45), Lachlan Scott (30:50), Thomas Dowd (31:32), Finn Johnson (31:58), Cam Clohesy (32:33), Oscar Bloomfield (33:59), Harry Whitford (34:14), Joshua Nielsen (35:27) and Sophie Hlipala (36:39) were other South Australians to compete in the 10km, all finising in the top 100 of the more than 460 participants.

Jessica Stenson, Bib 142, running the State 10km Road Championships in May.

Preparing for the Gold Coast Marathon in early July, Flinders' Jacob Cocks ran 1:03:54 in Sunday's Launceston Half Marathon, the fourth fastest time by a South Australian.

J. Cocks finished fourth overall with Victoria's Brett Robinson taking out the Men's Half Marathon in 1:01:56.

Edward McGough (1:18:16), Nick Smith (1:54:03) and Angela Melville (2:05:05) were other South Australians to run the Half Marathon.

Check out the full list of results from the McGrath Launceston Running Festival here

Adrian Potter leading Jacob Cocks at the State 10km Road Championships.

Final leg of the US tour

Hills athletes Isaac Heyne, Max Stevens and Caitlin Adams and Saints' Adam Goddard competed at the Portland Track Festival in Oregon, USA, which was held across Friday and Saturday.

Stevens ran 8:46.73 in the Men's 3000m Steeplechase to finish 13th overall, while Heyne finished 17th in the 5000m, running 13:51.12.

Adams ran 15:41.42 in her 5000m to place 14th.

Recovering from Covid-19 Goddard ran 4:01.61 in the Men's 1500m.

This event concluded their scheduled trip to the US, which included a training camp predominantly in New Mexico and Track events in Tenessee, Oregon and three in California.

Heyne started the trip with a bang, setting a massive nine-second PB in the 5000m at the event to finish ninth overall at the Payton Jordan Invitational in California.

Heyne’s time of 13:30.82 elevated him to the second fastest SA 5000m runner of all time, with only David Fitzsimons clocking a quicker time (holding the State Record with 13:17.42).

Also while they were away, Heyne and Adams were selected in Australia's World University Games team.