Dominant duo run rivals off their feet

TOP distance pair Lee Kar-lun and Roberto De Vido blasted away the opposition to take the top two slots in yesterday's opening race of the Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association cross country league.

The Watson's Athletics Club pair dominated the men's open category on the tough 7.9-kilometre course at Aberdeen Country Park.

Lee, who set a blistering pace from the gun, clocked 28 minutes and one second for an easy victory with De Vido second in 28:40, followed by Tsun Wan Athletic Club's Wong Ip-chor in 28:54.

The women's open race produced another Watson's quinella with cross country specialist Chiu Pik-kwan leading the pack home in 32:13 followed WAC guest runner Toh So Liang of Singapore second in 33:05 and Ladies Road Runners Club's Lucy Ramwell third in 33:34.

In the team events, Police Athletic Club packed superbly behind the top Watson's and Tsun Wan runners to score a well earned win in the men's open with a score of 61 points while Ladies Road Runners had an easy 21-point victory in the women's race.

But both TWAC and Watson's missed several top runners in yesterday's race including Kwok Hon-kwai (TWAC), Lee Hon-wah, Martin Peace and Paul Kayley (WAC) and can be expected to give the lawmen a much tougher time in the second race of the series to be held in two weeks.