New queen of KOM

KING of the Mountain (KOM) Bendigo Bank Challenge has a new queen.

Local boxer Ange Harries swapped the ring for mountain running to be crowned this year’s queen, with a time of 40:22.

Cooroy Mountain Park

Run organiser Andy Town said Ange set off fast from the gun and was in second place at the summit of the mountain, quickly moving into first place about 20 m into the descent.

“Leading up to the race

Ange said: ‘I felt great, calm, open to joy, ready to race. I thought I could win as soon as I overtook the second-placed woman. I knew I could win when the girl behind me didn’t catch me on the heartbreak hill.’

“When asked if she felt strong during the race, her candid response was: ‘You never feel strong on the mountain; you always feel like you are getting your ass handed to you, but I felt like I was coping very well with the beating!’”

Ange, an Impact Boxing Academy and Fitness

Centre boxer, first raced KOM Mountain Challenge in 2013.

“Ange said after the race:

‘I’m super happy to finally be the Queen of the Mountain!’,” Andy said.

Last year’s queen, Lee Cleary, finished third this year in the female open and first in the female junior with a time of 40:51, while Katy Booth finished second in the female open with a time of 40:48.

Meanwhile, Jorge Hernaez Navarro was crowned King of the Mountain with a new record time of 31:15.

Jorge set the record for the new longer course, beating last year’s time of 31:24 set by Mark Bourne.

Andy said Jorge left nothing out on the gruelling mountain challenge.

“Jorge said before the race: ‘I had a good feeling. I landed in Australia four days ago from Spain where I was on holiday to see the family. I had also won a race in Spain, so I was feeling good for today.’

“Jorge in describing his run said: ‘Right at the start of the race, two people started running very hard and I decided not to follow them because I know the race quite well and the pace I have to take to win.

“‘The most important thing for me is to get to the base of the mountain with strength – that’s where the real race starts. I followed the pace I had set. I didn’t want to force myself because this year I have big goals and I didn’t want to get injured.

“‘Even so, when I came down the mountain I first looked at my watch and saw that I could set a record. But I didn’t believe it until I got to the finish line and I really had stopped the clock on a new record for the new course. It was incredible. I didn’t expect it at all.’”

Andy said that Jorge, reflecting on his performance, thinks it is the people of Pomona who make runners draw strength and energy from where they didn’t think they had it.

“Jorge said that the race, the organisation, the history and the people make it so special to come here year after year.”

Daniel Kerekes finished second in the male open with a time of 34:57 and Romney Rayner finished third with 37:50.

In the Prince and Princess Race, Lachie Hudson finished as Prince with a time of 11:47 and Charlotte Reed as Princess with 12:20.