30 October 2019
Kapiti's Olympian miler Hamish Carson is hoping to become one of New Zealand's fastest 10,000m runners. The fastest time
anyone has run in New Zealand in the past twelve years is 29.33. Weather permitting, Carson will have his eyes on that
time. Last month he helped his Wellington Scottish club win the national road relays by running a course record last
lap. Carson ran that lap in a time that would have converted to 29.23 for 10,000m.
Carson will be racing at the Agency Group 10,000m race at Newtown Park on 9 November.
Carson will be joined by Waikato's Aaron Pulford, who is the national 10km Road Champion and the person who ran that
29.33 time, Christchurch's Oska Baynes, who is the current half marathon and marathon national champion, Rotorua's
Michael Voss who is the current national 10,000m and 10km silver medalist, and Chris Dryden, who finished fourth at the
recent national 10km champs. Baynes has a best 10km time of 30.07, Voss's best time is 30.24, and Dryden's best is
30.38. All fiver will be paced by New Zealand and Oceania 5000m champion Oli Chignell. Chignell is hoping to drag the
quintet to historically fast times.
Katrina Andrew, the current national 10km champion from Auckland, will face a challenge from former national 10km
champion and current Wellington 10km champion Sarah Drought. Andrew and Drought both hope to run fast times under 37
minutes. They will be chased by national trail running champion Mel Aitken and world-class masters runner Sally Gibbs.
Race meet organiser Nick Horspool says the Agency Group 10000m Festival is the biggest and fastest 10,000m event in New
Zealand.
"Last year 40 percent of finishers managed a new personal best time and most of the top-ranked times in New Zealand were
run here. We're hoping for the same success this year."
Agency Group 10,000m Festival boasts a hundred runners, over three separate races during the evening, all with
experienced pacers, food, drinks, live commentary and music. Entry is free and media are welcome to attend.
Agency Group 10000m Festival timetable:
4.45pm - B Race (40 mins+)
6.00pm - A Race (under 40 mins)
7.00pm - The Agency Group Invitational (under 33.30 mins)
ends