Posted: June 18, 2005

Athletics: Mark Bomba of Vancouver and Tara Quinn-Smith of Waterdown, Ont., win 10,000 metre national track titles

ABBOTSFORD, B.C.—Mark Bomba of Vancouver and Tara Quinn-Smith of Waterdown, Ont., both earned their second national running titles this year on Friday with victories in the men’s and women’s races respectively at the Canadian 10,000 metre championships.

Both Bomba and Quinn-Smith won the national crowns at the Canadian half marathon championships last month in Edmonton.

In the women’s 10,000, Quinn-Smith won the race in 33 minutes and 34.05 seconds. Tara Struyk of Edmonton was second in 34:40.14, Debbie Thornhill of the U.S., third in 34:48.83 and Kristina Rody of Guelph, Ont., third in 35:44.34.

“I felt pretty good about my race,” said Quinn-Smith. “I achieved my main objectives. I knew my competition well so I just wanted to keep close in the first part then pick up the pace in the second half. I’m pretty excited about winning two titles back-to-back. I’m looking forward to building on that.”

In the men’s 10,000, Mark Carroll of Ireland posted the fastest time finishing in 28 minutes and 40.40 seconds. Carlos Romero of Mexico was second in 28:50.45 and Gualdero Vargas of Mexico third in 29:06.70.

Bomba finished fourth in 29:25.22 and wins the national title as the top Canadian. Jeremiah Ziak of Vancouver was fifth in 29:25.76 and Andrew Smith of Toronto seventh in 29:29.22.

“After awhile I stopped worrying about my time and raced my own race,” said Bomba, 35, with his first career national title on the track. “I’m a bit surprised that I can still keep ahead of some younger guys. My wife keeps asking me when I’m going to quit but when I keep running these fast times it’s pretty difficult.”

Bomba will prepare for the half marathon world championships this October in Edmonton and also hopes to run in the marathon at the Commonwealth Games in March.

On Thursday night in Abbotsford, David Gill of Quebec City turned in the highlight performance of the Lafarge International Meet held at Swan Track on a cool and windy evening.

Gill chopped almost two seconds off his previous best to win the 800 metres in 1:47.85, just 1/100th of a second shy of the stadium record (1:47.84) established by Brandon Rock of the U.S., in 1996.

Gill initially trailed Joseph Moise of Haiti but showed a strong finish over the last 150 metres to pull well clear of the field. Approaching the tape, Gill could read his time on the stadium clock and he crossed the finish line with arms raised in jubilation. Moise finished second with a time of 1:48.99.

The closest race of the evening was the women’s 800 metres that saw a number of runners closely bunched at the finish. Samantha George of Toronto took to early pace before falling back into third place. But over the last 200 metres George put on a good finishing kick to win in 2:06.48 in a closely bunched finish that saw Heather Henniger of Halifax place second in 2:06.89 and Julia Howard of St. John’s, Nfld., come third in 2:06.95.