Buck digs deep to pip Thames teen

by Kelly Exelby | 6th January 2010

Rees Buck took the title but it was teen sensation Aaron Pulford who had the crowd reaching for superlatives after a brilliant cat-and-mouse battle at the national 10,000m track championships at the Tauranga Domain last night.

After running for all 25 laps like they were attached at the waist by a bungee cord, 33-year-old Buck drew on every ounce of energy in a
withering last 150m, just holding off 18-year-old Thames runner Aaron Pulford by 0.21sec.

Buck crossed in 30:01,93, with Pulford taking the M19 division in 30:02.14 in the first open national championship contested on the all-weather track.

Nelson's Kim Hogarth, who had held on to the lead pair for 21 of the 25 laps, was third across the line and second in the senior race in 30:21.76.

Buck, a former New Zealand 3000m champion, paid tribute to the rising star of the track after his gutsy run.

"Aaron sat in there, which is great when a senior's only running 30 minute pace at the nationals," Buck said. "A bit of my experience came through in the last 600 - I've run a few of these before and he's just starting out - but he just kept pushing and pushing and wouldn't lie down."

Buck has battled for two years with a nagging calf injury but reaffirmed his credentials last night for a spot in the New
Zealand team for the crosscountry worlds in Poland in front of
selector Barry Ellis.

He knew he'd get nowhere near his 10,000m best of 29:12 but was happy for Pulford, who bettered his previous best over the distance by almost 2 minutes, later admitting he might have been better waiting until the last 200m to test Buck's kick.

"I knew that last lap he'd throw it down because at this stage of his career a time like that's more meaningful. It shows the shape Aaron's in and what he could do at the junior worlds or crosscountry worlds.

"When Aaron went midway through that (penultimate) lap it was pretty fast but then he popped. I had that bit of experience behind me, knowing it's a long last 600m in a 10km race."

Top local hope Ben Ruthe (Athletics Tauranga) was fifth senior man home in 31:18.80.

British runner Andrea Woodvine (33:29.94) won her second title on the track in five days, clearing out after just 1500m to put almost two minutes on Rachel Kingsford (Otago). Wellington's Bernie Portenski set a national W60 masters record, coming home seventh in the senior women's race in 39:47.43.

New Zealand championship 10,000m results:

Senior men: 1 Rees Buck (Wellington Scottish) 30:01.93, 2 Kim Hogarth (Nelson) 30:21.76, 3 Stephen Lett (Takapuna) 30:57.09, 4 Stefan Smith (Wellington Scottish) 31:10.40, 5 Ben Ruthe (Athletics Tauranga) 31:18.80.

 Men 19: 1 Aaron Pulford (Hamilton City Hawks) 30:02.14, 2 Jonathan Jackson (Auckland) 30:53.31, 3 Alex Parlane (Pakuranga) 31:54.85, 4 Michael Sutton (Athletics Tauranga) 34:24.24.

Senior women: 1 Andrea Woodvine (Aldershot Farnham and Districts, UK) 33:29.94, 2 Rachel Kingsford (Otago) 35:11.45, 3 Michelle Hopkins (Pakuranga) 36:13.75, 4 Tina Harris (Wellington Scottish) 37:02.27, 5 Tara La Grange (North Harbour Bays) 37:48.51.