Brave run from Hawkins in Ladies 4km Final
A very determined Candy Hawkins did all she could to get to Baile, Felix, Romania for the 9th European Cross Country Championships. “At my age, I cannot afford to let travel arrangements jeopardise my intention to participate in these championships. I have worked so hard and everyone was targeted towards participating in Romania Cross Country. I was very disappointed when I was told that it was cancelled. I already booked my flight. The next day, I got news that the championships were back on again. Confused and dejected, I re-motivated myself to myself. My husband Richard kindly managed to get my rebooked into the next flight after I had missed my original flight. I was pleased that Team Manager Brian Kokoruwe would accompany me to the event. The journey was long and tiring. Nevertheless, I wasn’t going to miss it. In four years time, I would be older and I couldn’t possibly predict my physical state of fitness.” Said Hawkins.
Arriving the night before the Championships began, there was no time to acclimatise or stretch properly. The Opening Ceremony was early in the morning after breakfast. “I didn’t have time to warm up around the course. I only tasted the course when the actual race began. I felt really heavy and something like cold was going through my head” Hawkins summed up. “Ideally, it would have been great to arrive here a couple of days before the Championships began, train using the route, acclimatise and get over jet lag before races began. Candy has done so well to make the championships in the first place and to finish 7th out of 16 of Europe’s best Cross Country runner with the difficult journey we have had is very good indeed” Team Manager Brian Kokoruwe said.
Candy’s brave run placed her 7th in a time of 17mins 05sec. She started well, but in the 2km per lap route, she struggled in the second half in her 4km final race. The event was won by the Russia European number 1 Cross Country runner, Daria Gaynetdinova (14mins 23sec), chased home by Spaniard Sandra Marquez Burdallo (15mins 13sec). 3rd was another Russian, Alevtina Senina (15mins 25sec).
Tomorrow, Candy will battle it out for a medal in the ladies 8km final.
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Brian and Candy in Romania
Brian and Candy at the European XC Championships
Candy running in the European XC Championships
Candy running in the European XC Championships in Romania 2010
