This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

Kurt Fearnley Is Sensational In Historic OZ Day 10K Race Win

The wheelchair athlete took out the race for the 11th time.
Kurt Fearnley has claimed the Oz Day 10k title for an 11th time.
Getty Images
Kurt Fearnley has claimed the Oz Day 10k title for an 11th time.

Legendary wheelchair athlete Kurt Fearnley has produced a sensational effort to win his 11th OZ Day 10K in Sydney.

The four-time Paralympian took out the race in an official time of 19 minutes and 36 seconds, surpassing Louise Sauvage's record of 10 wins in the iconic event at The Rocks.

Fearnley blew the field away to take out the race that is considered one of the marquee event on the international wheelchair racing calendar, and has been held since 1980.

Japan's Sho Watanabe who finished second with a time of 20 minutes and 34 seconds, while local Jake Lappin took bronze in 20 minutes and 56 seconds.

The women's open division was claimed by Australian Madison de Rozario in a record time of 23 minutes and 03 seconds.

A visibly emotional Fearnley was overwhelmed at winning the race for an historic 11th time.

"I'm just grateful, there's nothing else that can sum it up better than that," he told Sky News at the finish line.

"When you were a kid, if someone was to tell me I could win this race once I would have jumped at it but to get there 11 times , I'm just grateful."

Fearnley also paid tribute to those who had come before him in the sport, and especially the founders of the annual race.

"They fought for this race, they created this race so that young kids like me, they could see what wheelchair racing was all about."

Fearnley won silver in the wheelchair marathon at the Rio last year in what was his final outing at a Paralympics after 16 years competing at the highest level.

The the 11-time Paralympic medallist is perhaps most famous for hauling himself along the Kokoda trail in 2009.

The Oz Day 10K closes the 2017 Summer Down Under Track and Road Racing series, while Fearnley will back up on Saturday at the Hunter Track Classic in Newcastle.

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.