BENDIGO University’s Andy Buchanan raced to fourth place in the half-marathon at the Sydney Morning Herald-backed classic on Sunday.
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Buchanan completed the 21.1km contest in a time of 1 hour 5.59 minutes amongst a field of more than 9100 athletes.
“It was a tough course around the streets of Sydney,” said Buchanan.
Athletes raced under Sydney Harbour Bridge, around The Rocks and Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. The event started and finished in Hyde Park.
“I was rapt to be fourth against such high-quality runners,” said Buchanan.
“It was also great to gain more experience over the longer distance.”
The half-marathon was won by Joel Tobin-White in 1:05.21 as Liam Adams, who ran the marathon at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, was runner-up in 1:05.36.
Next best was Hugh Williams, 1:05.44, as Buchanan fought on to beat Reece Edwards by a second.
A dual winner of the Bendigo Bank Dragon Mile, Buchanan was runner-up in this year’s 1609m duel on Easter Sunday and he is the reigning Australian 10km cross-country champion.
Buchanan plays a key role as athletics coach for the Athlete Development Program at Bendigo South East Secondary College.
Buchanan plans to race at Cruden Farm in Langwarrin this Saturday as Flack Advisory Bendigo Region contests the Athletics Victoria’s cross-country series third round. Bendigo leads the division three and six men’s ladders and is fifth in women’s division four standings.