William Sinclair’s Auckland half marathon a win for perseverance - Alec McNab
Perseverance and stickability are important ingredients for success in all sport.
There are many school-age athletes who struggle at the back of the field in their junior years and only gain prominence towards the end of their time at school.
What is true at school is often repeated post school with athletes only reaching their prime in their late 20s.
British Olympic gold medal sprinter Linford Christie was well into his 20s when he began to reach his potential.
It has been pleasing to hear of 26-year-old former Whanganui Collegiate athlete William Sinclair’s recent success.
Sinclair was an able runner at school but not the strongest of a gifted group who gained national medals as a team in cross-country back in 2018.
Like many other promising young middle-distance athletes, Sinclair took up a track scholarship in the United States.
Sinclair overcame many injury setbacks over his Stateside years but has stuck to his training and self-belief and has begun to reap the benefits of his perseverance.
Ten days ago, he ran in the Australian 10 Kilometre Road Championships, finishing seventh, stopping the clock at 28 minutes 51 seconds – well inside his previous best.
At the weekend, Sinclair won the Auckland Half Marathon with a course record in an outstanding 1h 4m 10s for lucrative prizemoney from his win and for breaking the record.
Sinclair has rejoined Athletics Whanganui where he joins other outstanding former athletes who have retained club membership, including world champion steeplechaser Geordie Beamish (US-based), many-time New Zealand 800m champion Brad Mathas (Melbourne-based) and hammer thrower Lexi Maples (Los Angeles-based).
It is great to hear of Sinclair’s recent success and reward for his perseverance, and it is wonderful that on returning to New Zealand he has rejoined his former club.
Last Saturday saw the first of the Central League Team competitions in Masterton.
The venue for the first meet in the series of three pre-Christmas events has traditionally alternated between Inglewood and Hastings with the latter originally slated for this year.
The Hastings track resurfacing resulted in a change of venue swapping with the third-round venue Masterton.
The first meet has traditionally seen the lowest entries through a combination of travel distance and because of its early season placement at the end of October.
The entries on Saturday were slightly higher than in recent years at the more distant venues for the season opener but still 80 athletes less than in Round 2 in Whanganui and Round 3 in Masterton last year.
Those that chose not to compete in Masterton missed a great opportunity to post strong early season performances.
Our spring weather is at best unpredictable and early season meetings are often affected by strong winds.
The sun broke through at the Colin Pugh Sportsbowl with a light wind that generally favoured sprinters, providing excellent early season conditions for the 136 competitors.
A clash with Whanganui Collegiate School Prizegiving, Jonathan Maples attending a New Zealand Relay Camp and a decision by many others to wait until Round 2 in Palmerston North next week resulted in only four Whanganui athletes making the journey across to the Wairarapa.
Sadly, this was below the required eight athletes to be recognised as a team for scoring purposes.
The Whanganui athletes, although not eligible as a team, gained useful experience.
Tyler O’Brien running in the second of three 100 metre races recorded a season’s best of 11.75 seconds into a gentle headwind of 0.6m per second which was close to his season’s best in finishing sixth in the A grade into a headwind that set in towards the end of the meeting.
Daniel Mandengu from Taranaki took the sprint double, recording a personal best over the 100m (10.75 seconds).
Noah Orlowski tried to stay with the pace in the 1500m, which probably cost him a personal best, but hung on for fourth and bettered last Tuesday’s effort to run a season’s best.
Daniel Sherborne was again close to his best in high jump, narrowly failing at 1.75m and gained a best in his weaker long jump, while Blake O’Brien gained valuable experience over 100m and 200m on debut.
Competition continues in Palmerston North on Saturday with Round 2 at the Massey Community Track, where large entries are expected including a sizeable Whanganui contingent.
At times of rising costs Athletics Whanganui have funded a bus to travel to the meet and we hope many will travel together.