More than 100 athletes ranging in age from under 10 to over 65 took part in the Athletics Otago Cross Country Championships at Chisholm Links Golf Club on Sunday.
After a fun run for young children, athletes traversed the undulating terrain in laps ranging from 1km to 10km.
Dan Hayman, representing Leith Harrier & Athletic Club, followed closely, finishing in 37min 37sec, just 52 seconds behind O’Sullivan.
Hill City-University Athletic Club’s Rebekah Greene took top spot in the women’s overall category at 39min 45sec, followed by fellow club member Taryn McLean in second place with 44min 24sec.
In the 6km race Athletics Taieri’s Zac Whitley was the overall winner at 24min 36sec, followed by Leith’s Kimberley Iversen at 25min 34sec.
Other highlights to note in the 6km race were Leith’s Ash Dustow, competing in the masters men’s 65 plus category, coming in at 29min 25sec.
A highlight of the 4km race was Ariki Athletic’s Dalise Sanderson in the women’s 65 plus category, finishing with a time of 26min 09sec.
In the girls’ categories, Pippa McLean, of Hill City-University, finished first in the 1km race with a time of 5min 43sec in the U10, and in the U12 fellow club member Penelope Hodgson took the top spot in the 2km race with a time of 9min 49sec.
For the 3km race in the U14 category Eva McLean of Hill City-University claimed first place, finishing with a time of 13min 25sec.
In the youth boys’ 2km race, Freddy Allan, of South Otago Athletics, emerged victorious in the U10 category with a time of 8min 51sec and Athletics Invercargill’s Sean Iversen finished first with a time of 8min 31sec in the U12 category .
In the 3km race Invercargill’s Craig Jun Iversen claimed first place in the U14 category with a time of 12min 25sec.
