ALTHOUGH he was well off the pace by the final lap, Bendigo Harriers' athlete Brady Threlfall has not given up hope of breaking Athletics Bendigo's centre record for the open 3km.
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Threlfall made a bold run to break 8:33.7 in Tuesday night's race at the Latrobe University Bendigo athletics complex in Flora Hill.
The record was achieved by Leigh Purtill at AB's previous home at Epsom in December, 1985.
Threlfall had achieved times of 8.20, 8.23 and 8.25 in 3km runs at Lakeside Stadium and Box Hill.
But the Bendigo Centre record was yet to be his.
He won AB's final Tuesday Night Run of the year in 8:49.50 ahead of the Keely brothers, Leon and Bryan.
"These conditions show why it's been so difficult to break the record," Threlfall said of racing at Flora Hill or at Epsom.
"The plan was to attack the home straight (into the wind) as hard as I could and then gain a bit of rest down the back straight."
A field that included Charlton young gun Kye Jenkyn, Bendigo Harriers' Paul Boxshall and Jamie Cook, and Eaglehawk's Matt Heislers set a fast pace over the opening four laps.
Illness meant University's Andy Buchanan did not race, but he was trackside as a lap-counter.
From Boxing Day, Threlfall and Buchanan will be among a group of athletes headed to Falls Creek for a nine-day training camp.
Echuca-based Threlfall aims to race the open 5km and 15km at next month's Flack Advisory-backed Victoria Country titles in Bendigo. The champs run from January 23 to 25.
Results from Athletics Bendigo's Tuesday Night 3km run at LUBAC in Retreat Road, Flora Hill:
Brady Threlfall, 26, Bendigo Harriers, 8:49:50; Leon Keely, 24, Bendigo Harriers, 9:08.32; Bryan Keely, 26, University, 9:19.79; Jamie Cook, 23, Bendigo Harriers, 9:27.57; Kye Jenkyn, 16, Bendigo Harriers, 9:35.10.
Paul Boxshall, 37, Bendigo Harriers, 9:39.92; Matthew Heislers, 16, Eaglehawk, 9:56.92; Mike Bieleny, 52, University, 10:00.55; Alexander Evans, 17, Bendigo Harriers, 10:20.25; Daniel Plowright, 27,South Bendigo, 10:31.39.
Brian Watson, 43, University, 10:38.98; Trevor Kelly, 55, Eaglehawk, 11:12.24; Tim Lauder, 51, University, 11:20.72; Andrew Meyers, 38, South Bendigo, 11:47.72; Eric Baker, 52, Bendigo Harriers, 11:57.53.
Anne Buckley, 47, Bendigo Harriers, 12:05.28; Jim Russell, 53, University, 12:24.55; David Heislers, 49, University, 12:37.27; Ross Douglas, 48, University, 12:42.94; Andrew Cameron, 45, Invitation, 12:48.77.
Spencer Evans, 13, Bendigo Harriers, 12:54.63; Yvette Tuohey, 24, Bendigo Harriers, 13:02.18; Brad Russell, 52, University, 13:51.09; Kevin Shanahan, 58, Eaglehawk, 13:54.39; Lilly Walsh, 21, University, 14:00.94; Garnet Rodda, 65, Bendigo Harriers, 14:55.39; Emily Heislers, 13, Eaglehawk, 15:40.49.
