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Roots blasts into the record book at 5K championships

Athletics Yukon's five-kilometre course has seen its first sub-16-minute time.
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Athletics Yukon’s five-kilometre course has seen its first sub-16-minute time.

Despite temperatures reaching into the high 20s, Whitehorse’s Logan Roots set the course record at the Yukon Five-Kilometre Championships on Tuesday in Riverdale.

The 22-year-old completed the certified five-kilometre course, first used at the championship in 2008, in 15 minutes and 56 seconds.

It was hot out, but “there’s no smoke in the air, so no complaints,” said Roots. “Anywhere else it would be worse ... There was a bit of a breeze coming off the water. I didn’t feel the heat too much.”

But Roots doesn’t limit himself to just five-kilometre runs. He recently competed at the Canadian Half Marathon Championships in Calgary, placing third for his age division and 19th overall.

The two-time Yukon River Trail Marathon winner is also getting set to compete at the B.C. 10-Kilometre Championships.

“I’m doing a 10K in B.C. in 12 days, so this is just a hard stimulus to get the legs moving and the heart pumping before that race there,” he said.

Yukon MP Ryan Leef was once again playing second fiddle to a young buck on Tuesday. After placing second in the race last year to 18-year-old Kieran Halliday, he was again in second behind Roots. He crossed the finish line at 17:35 - the exact same time as in last year’s championships.

Whitehorse’s Darby McIntyre placed third at 19:25. The 15-year-old is preparing to represent Canada in track and field at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, Calif., at the end of the month.

Whitehorse’s Cynthia Freeman would have preferred to be a couple minutes faster, but she’s happy to take the women’s title. Freeman finished the course, starting and ending at F.H. Collins Secondary, in 24:16.

“Not my best - it was very hot,” said Freeman. “It was a little slower than what I wanted to do, but that’s OK. It was fun.

“I’m just getting over an injury, so this year is my building year. I’m just getting back into shape.”

Laura Salmon came in second at 25:13 and Sonia Seeber in third at 25:30.

“I just love the Tuesday and Thursday runs because it’s the only time I get to run on pavement,” added Freeman. “I usually run at home, which is out of town, so I love coming in a seeing everybody. I get to chat, meet some new people, catch up with old friends and go for a run.”

Contact Tom Patrick at

tomp@yukon-news.com

Results

11-year-old male

1st Isaac O’Brien - 23:57

11-year-old female

1st Lisa Freeman - 31:52

12-year-old male

1st Naoise Dempsey - 20:05

Midget male (14-15)

1st Darby McIntyre - 19:25

Youth male (16-17)

1st Jared Leary - 21:12

Youth female (16-17)

1st Sigourny Whipple -Grantham - 28:06

Open male (20-34)

1st Logan Roots - 15:56

2nd John Gushie - 25:09

Masters I male (35-39)

1st Warren Maroun - 30:50

Masters I female (35-39)

1st Christie Harper - 26:34

2nd Beth Chisholm - 28:19

Masters II male (40-44)

1st Ryan Leef - 17:35

Masters II female (40-44)

1st Cynthia Freeman - 24:16

2nd Sonia Seeber - 25:30

3rd Kelli Taylor - 27:27

Masters III male (45-49)

1st Jeff Larsen - 18:33

2nd Robin Anderson - 21:31

Masters III female (45-49)

1st Laura Salmon - 25:13

Masters IV male (50-54)

1st Jerome McIntyre - 20:24

Masters IV female (50-54)

1st Jennifer Whipple - 28:16

Masters V male (55-59)

1st Brendan Hanley - 22:45

Masters V female (55-59)

1st Brenda Dion - 25:49

Masters VI female (60-64)

1st Christine Paradis - 29:01

Masters VII male (65-69)

1st Don White - 21:42

Masters male IX

1st Dave Kalles - 30:45

Walkers male

1st John Storms - 32:20

Walkers female

1st Bonnie Love - 34:30