Karori athlete top NZ finisher

By Frank Neill

Karori athlete Sarah Drought was the top New Zealand finisher in the women’s race at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia, on 18 February.

Competing against the world’s greatest runners, Sarah finished 49th, clocking 37 minutes and 53 seconds.

This saw her cross the line more than a minute ahead of the next placed New Zealand runner, Emily Roughan, who clocked 38 minutes and 57 seconds in finishing 54th.

Raced in 35 degree heat on a very difficult course, the event was won by Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet in a time of 33 minutes and 48 seconds.

The 34-year-old mother of two, who runs for Wellington Harriers, has performed outstandingly over the last year.

She won the Wellington half marathon on 19 June 2022, clocking one hour 17 minutes and six seconds.

She also won the Wellington 5,000 metre title a fraction over a year ago, clocking 17 minutes 21.77 seconds on 20 February 2022.

Two silver medals have come her way also. She finished second in the New Zealand 10,000 metres championship on 19 November, clocking 34 minutes 36.41 seconds, and she added a silver medal in the New Zealand 10,000 metres road race. out for just 79 runs. Onslow lost just one wicket in passing the Naenae total, finishing with 83.

Sarah set a new personal best time of 34 minutes 15 seconds over 10,000 metres in the Timaru Ten road race in November.

This run saw her clock a faster time than the World Cross Country performance standard of 34 minutes 30 seconds, and then saw her selected for what has been the biggest competition of her life.

Following around a decade away from the sport, Sarah returned a little over a year ago and has quickly come into prominence on the national scene.

In her earlier days, however, she had a series of outstanding performances.

She claimed her first national title at the New Zealand Road Championships in September 2012. Sarah won the 10,000 metre race by just two seconds from the defending champion, Lisa Robertson of Auckland.

She also won bronze medals in the 2012 senior women’s New Zealand Cross Country Championships and in the 3,000 metres at the New Zealand Track and Field Championships in 2013.

As well as her running career and looking after her two children, Sarah also works as Principal Policy Advisor for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Dave Hancock bowled outstandingly for Onslow, taking four wickets at a cost of just 19 runs, while Henry McIntyre also bowled well, taking three wickets at a cost of only 12 runs.

David Rose also took two wickets at a cost of 22 runs while Matthew Scobie finished with one wicket for 25 runs.

Tim Robinson just managed to hit a half century in Onslow’s chase and finished on 50 not out from only 34 deliveries. Nathan Robinson scored 25 from the 17 deliveries he faced.