SYDNEY 10/NSW 10km Championships: wins for Ed Goddard and Eloise Wellings

Published Sun 07 May 2023

7 May 2023

SYDNEY 10/NSW 10km Championships: wins for Ed Goddard and Eloise Wellings

In glorious conditions at this morning’s Sydney 10, a record 2338 athletes lined up in the three distances, to pound the pavements of the iconic Sydney Olympic Park. The races also incorporated the NSW Road Championships, its 92nd edition.

From the gun in the open 10km races, favourites Ed Goddard and Eloise Wellings didn’t die wondering, building up comfortable leads on lap one of the two lap race, going on to strong victories.

Men 10km

In the men’s 10km, Ed Goddard, who ran with a mobile in his hand and music blaring, was happy with his run.

“It was my first hit out of the winter season after a 12-week block which included 180 and 190km running weeks. So it was good to absorb that training and race,” said Ed.

Ed setup the win on the first lap (a little less than 5km) clocking 14:32, 27 second ahead of eventual second place getter Kieren Perkins (14:59). On the second lap Kieren held the margin, clocking 14:52 to Ed’s 14:50.

Ed’s winning time of 29:22 places him equal seventh on the all-time list. Queenslander and defending champion, Kieren Perkins clocked 29:51 for second.

With 1k remaining the NSW 10km State Championship silver and bronze medals were in the balance and to be decided by a pack of four which comprised Queenslander John Polson, two-time champion Ben St Lawrence, NSW 1500m champion Connor Whiteley and Bankstown’s Josh Johnson.

But it would be the experience of Olympian, St Lawrence that would win the day, taking silver comfortably in 29:56, from Whiteley (30:05), just one second ahead of Johnson’s 30:06.

Ed Goddard plans another couple of races ahead of running the Gold Coast marathon.

Last year over six-month Ed ran three marathons, all in impressive times of between 2:13:45 and 2:15.11, but this more measured build up to the Gold Coast in July is likely to yield something special.

Women 10km

In the women’s race Sutherland’s Eloise Wellings claimed a comfortable win, her third NSW open women’s 10km road title, joining Annette Dwyer (Easts, ‘80s) with that achievement. They both sit behind Liz Miller (RBH & Easts) who won five titles in the ‘80s, 90s and ‘00s.

Eloise was pleased with her run.

“It was good to have a hit out and good to get the win,” said Eloise who clocked 33:15.

Her lap 1 (a little less than 5km) split was 16:05, coming home with 17:09 on lap 2, which is a little over 5km.

“I went out at 32-minute pace, but I’m not yet deep into marathon training.”

She is planning to race another marathon later in the year.

The Run Crew duo Aynslee Van Graan and Niamh Allen claimed the silver and bronze medals in times of 33:21 and 33:34 respectively. They ran more consistent splits of 16:29 and 16:35, for lap 1 and 16:52 and 16:58 for the second circuit.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Ed Goddard (Courtesy of David Tarbotton)

WOMEN 10km

1.Eloise Wellings, Sutherland, 33:15 (1st NSW Champs)

2.Aynslee Van Graan, Run Crew, 33:21 (2nd NSW Champs)

3. Niamh Allen, Run Crew, 33:34 (3rd NSW Champs)

4. Ella Higgins, TRT Running, 34:15

5.Bronwyn Hager, Delta Running Project, 35:34

6. Helena Eastham, Run Crew, 35:58

7. Amelia Gorman, TRT Running, 36:02

8. Breanna Golub, Run Crew, 36:09

9. Katherine Gambell, TRT Running, 36:10

10.Stephanie Auston, Newcastle Flyers, 36:20