Right: Olympic marathon runner Lee Troop strides to victory in trying conditions at the Sandown Classic road race on Saturday.By Paul Pickering
TWO-time Olympian Lee Troop defied horrendous conditions and a field of more than 800 runners to win the Sandown Classic road race in Springvale on Saturday.
The Sandown Raceway circuit – more familiar to motorsport and horseracing fans – hosted an enthralling duel between Troop and defending champion Michael Shelley, with Troop breaking clear in the final lap to lend further momentum to his Beijing Olympics campaign.
Despite icy temperatures and persistent rain throughout the day, the Geelong-based runner recorded an impressive time of 28 minutes and 50 seconds, eclipsing his race-winning mark of 29:58 from 2006.
It was also the fastest 10km time recorded by an Australian this year.
The 35-year-old veteran was joined in a formidable lead bunch on Saturday, with fellow national representatives in Shelley (NSW), Liam Adams (Essendon) and Ben St Lawrence (NSW) jostling for position in the first of three laps.
Troop and Shelley strode clear of the pack towards the end of the second lap to set up a desperate sprint to the finish down the home straight.
Ultimately, it was Troop who surged ahead at the line to stop the clock one second ahead of his 24-year-old rival.
Having already competed in two Olympic marathons, Troop expects to book his ticket to Beijing after the team is announced this week.
If his time on Saturday is any indication, he is building nicely towards a strong performance in August.
“I said to ‘Mona’ (coach Steve Monaghetti) recently that I was nearing career-best form, and today I proved it,” Troop said after the race.
In the women’s race, New Zealander Rowan Baird cruised to victory, finishing more than a minute clear of 2007 World Junior Mountain Running champion Lara Tamsett (NSW).
“Coming from New Zealand, I really enjoyed the cold weather, and I felt really good,” Baird said.
“It was a sweet course, really fun.”
Courtesy of event sponsor Skins, both Troop and Baird received $1100 in prize money and performance bonuses for their efforts.
Meanwhile, fun-runners of all abilities braved the conditions to record personal bests at the fast and flat course.
