But maybe flying under the radar worked for the Otago athlete, who won the senior women’s 10km race in emphatic style, finishing in 37min 30.60sec in Napier.
Prosser, who has been running at NCAA level for Boston University and had been injured leading up to the national event, pulled away after the 4km mark and won the title 61sec ahead of her closest competitor.
Dunedin runner Catherine Lund also returned home a champion, winning the women’s under-20 6km event in 22min 15.10sec, her third consecutive national title.
Lund held off tough Australian competition in the form of Tess Hannigan to win by 65sec.
Other Otago athletes also performed well.
Oliver O’Sullivan won silver in the masters men 35-49 8km event in 28min 18.50sec. He finished second overall in the masters men 35-64 as well.
Sue O’Sullivan also picked up silver in the masters women’s 70-74 6km race in 40min 54.80sec, and Tessa Molloy finished third in the masters women’s 35-39 6km race in 26min 25.50sec.
Gus Gannon placed seventh in the senior men’s 10km, Andrew Lonie was sixth in the men’s 50-54 8km and Lucas Huia placed 26th in the men’s under-20 8km.
Defending senior men’s champion Oli Chignell was a late scratching from the event.
