Stewart McSweyn’s appetite for breaking race records has extended to his favourite race after writing his name into the record books in the Burnie Ten.
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In what was for the majority of the race a one-horse affair, the “Mayor of King Island” made it back-to-back titles on the streets of Burnie, winning the iconic race in a time of 28:03.02 to better the long-held 28.11 time of Darren Wilson, which was set in 1997.
But McSweyn didn’t stop there, with his blistering run the fastest by an Australian on home soil, the fastest 10 kilometre road time by an Australian since Craig Mottram’s Australian record of 27:54 in Manchester in 2004 and the fourth fastest ever by an Australian.
And to complete his impressive Sunday morning work, while there are no official records to back it up, it is believed his winning margin over 2010 champion Liam Adams, (nearly 400 metres) who was second in a time of 29.44.0, was the biggest in the history of an event which started in 1985.
Andrew Buchanan (in 30.05.9) was third.
The win came after McSweyn seemingly set state distance records for fun last season, but post-race admitted his latest achievement was as special as anything that already on his ultra-impressive CV.
“The race does mean a lot to me being on the North-West Coast where King Island is, so it was a focus for me,’’ he said.
“I did really want to see if I could get that record today, and conditions were tough as it was really windy, but I just had to sit on that pace for as long as I could, and in that last kilometre the crowd really got me going and I knew I was good chance to get it.”
Meanwhile, being able collect her second Burnie Ten title by getting the better of what she described as a quality field made Sunday’s triumph all the more sweeter for Emily Brichacek.
Looking around to see who she was sharing the podium with, Commonwealth Games medalist Lisa Weightman and recent City2Surf winner Ellie Pashley, was enough evidence of that for the 28-year-old, who added this year’s title to the one she collected in 2011.
“To battle it out with Lisa Weightman and Ellie Pashley at the end, they are two amazing racers and to be in that company was amazing,’’ the Canberra product said post-race.
Brichacek broke away late from Weightman to win in a time of 32.46.7, with Weightman finishing her race in 32.51.5.
Pashley finished the race in 33.03.6.