BENDIGO University's star distance runner Andy Buchanan marked back-to-back victories in Friday night's 5km Frenzy at the Flora Hill track.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Buchanan, 30, shattered his own Bendigo Centre open and track records as he ran 14:10.12 to defeat Mentone's Seth O'Donnell, 14:16.
Despite cold and windy conditions, racing was action-packed.
Pacemakers Brady Threlfall from Bendigo Harriers and Matt Buckell from University upped the intensity from the gun.
At three laps to go, Buchanan hit the front at the top of the back straight and powered away.
Bendigo Harriers' Nathan Stoate was third in 14:27.20.
Bendigo University's Ned Buckell clocked 14:42.10 to break the long-held Bendigo centre record of 14:48.8 for under-20s set by Echuca's Malcolm Norwood at the Epsom track in 1982.
Buchanan was rapt to be racing before a home crowd.
"To have a race like this near home is great."
Buchanan said the race plan was for a late attack on the back straight.
"I always look to take advantage of the wind and put pressure on others to go or stay with me."
He was rapt with the performance of so many Bendigo Bats team-mates who he races with in cross-country events or trains with.
In the elite women's 5km, Frankston's Sarah Klein broke away on the last two laps to win in 16:35.35.
Klein's big-race experience, which included 10th place in the marathon at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, was decisive.
"This was a great hit-out for me. I would have liked to have gone a little faster, but conditions were not easy," Klein said.
She will continue to train up to 150 kilometres a week in the build-up to the Newcastle Marathon in April.
Runner-up was Amy Carrig, 16:40.49, from Simone McInnes of St Stephens in 17:37.18.
Coburg teenager Niamh Tabit ran 17:42.08 and equalled the Bendigo under-20 track record set on January 14, 2003 by South Bendigo's Clare McKechnie.
A rising star at South Bendigo, Taryn Furletti clocked 18:49.71 as University's Rebecca Wilkinson, 19:06, and Harriers' Alice Wilkinson, 19:17, ran well in a gruelling test.
University's Stephen van Rees broke the track record for the 40-plus class as he clocked 16:04.31 in the third and final of the mixed heats.
The first heat was won by James Miller of Ballarat Harriers, as Melbourne University's Jack Melleuish beat Bendigo University's Matthew Schepisi in heat two.
The night's racing began with a 1000m Frenzy for the under-14s where University's Ebony Woodward and Bendigo Harriers' Keelan McInerney led the way.
