Breakthroughs for Buckell and Smee in Southern Cross University 10km Run, while alarm malfunction delivered an unexpected bronze

Victoria’s Matt Buckell and Tasmania’s Ruby Smee scored breakthrough wins in today’s Southern Cross University 10km Run with picture-perfect weather conditions on the Gold Coast.

Buckell’s win in 29:13 made it a Bendigo (VIC) double after his coach Andy Buchanan’s win in the China Airlines Half Marathon earlier in the morning while Smee (33:04) backed up a smart run at the Launceston Running Festival 10km only a month ago, with a 34 second win in the women’s event.

Buckell also had a Tasmanian shakedown.

“I ran the Launceston 10km a few weeks ago, and I’ve had a few niggles since, but I came good this week, and I lined up on the start line today feeling half decent,” Buckell said.

“I started pushing about the 5km mark and I doubted myself for a while, wondering if I should have gone so early, but I did, and it worked out and I’m happy with the win.

“This was my first run as an ASICS athlete, so it was great to get the win wearing their colours,” he said.

Buckell said regional Victoria is ground central for junior distance runners.

“There is a lot of junior participation in the sport and so many people are coming up through the junior ranks, like I did, and there will be plenty more to come,” he said.

Adelaide runners grabbed the minor medals with dual Olympian steeplechaser Matthew Clarke (29:30) getting silver and Adrian Potter (29:33) the bronze.

“I’m happy with that performance; I know how good Matt is, so I tried to hold on to him up until 7km,” Clarke said.

“The race was a lot harder than I thought; I did the first half really quick and I kind of just cooked myself; a few of those hills and turns stung a bit.”

Potter claimed a remarkable podium in a race he didn’t intend to contest.

The 30-year-old South Australian was meant to be running the half marathon but slept through his alarm and had no choice but to run the 10km instead.

“I can't believe I just woke up and only had half an hour to get to the start line, so I had to make the decision that it wasn't possible.

“It was disappointing because the training was going towards the half.

“But yeah, it worked out great to be in the 10 in the end, it was a much better race to be honest, for me,” he said.

Potter’s oversleeping is something all parents will understand.

“We've got a young baby at the moment, so I've been up all night with him, so I think my body just capitalised on the opportunity and my buzzing watch didn’t wake me up.

“My son Charlie and my wife, Gemma, are back at home so I think it's good that I've got a little bit of prizemoney to go back with, because it's a big ask for her to be home by herself as he’s so young.

“So yeah, she's a star and it worked out for the best.”

This is the eighth time Potter has raced on the Gold Coast, in either the 10km or half, and this is his second podium.

He was 13^th at the halfway mark and then used his half marathon training strength to work his way through the stacked 10km field.

“I got bronze in the 10km back in 2018.

“It was sort of me and Andrew Buchanan back in the day when he was coming up [through the ranks]. I was with him in 2018 and then he went and cleared off, and he's been going up ever since,” Potter laughed.

Smee said she was “stoked” with her maiden Gold Coast win.

“It is a mix of both exciting and nerve wracking coming off a breakthrough race like the one in Launceston,” Smee said.

“It raises expectations, and you also want to stick to what you know and not put too much pressure on yourself.

“Jenny went out hard and I didn’t go with the pace early, but I knew that was going to hurt me later.

“I didn’t hold back much, just a little, but enough that I was going to keep the sting in my legs for the last 3km where you’re in a world of pain,” she said.

Brisbane’s Sophie Malowiecki (33:38) and Olympian Jenny Blundell (33:57) filled the other podium positions.

Malowiecki said she was running in uncharted waters.

"I haven’t done the 10km here on the Gold Coast but I’ve don’t the half marathon a few times,” she said.

"I’m a triathlete, so running here is great while we’re in the off season."

“I really had no expectations, I don’t think I’ve ever raced a 10km, so I just focused on being comfortable for the first half and then seeing what my legs had afterwards.

“I’m pretty happy with my result; I hung tough, a few of the women sprinted after halfway and I just hung in there and kept edging at them, and in the end, I just ran through them,” she said.