By Greg Pearson
Dale Warrander has won his fourth Rotorua Marathon, equalling the record for the event.
Of the 2000 runners that set out for the 46th Rotorua Marathon, none were more determined for victory than Steve O'Callaghan. Last year, the local roofer came agonisingly close to victory, stumbling metres from the finish to end second.
This year, the 28-year-old made a promising start, setting the pace with Warrander and Japanese runner Tsutomu Saeki.
With his family cheering him on, the local made his move at the halfway point. But six kilometres from the finish, O'Callaghan's challenge faded, and Athens Olympian Warrander outlasted Saeki to take his fourth win in the event, equalling Jack Foster's record.
O'Callaghan finished two minutes behind Warrander in third place, left to again rue what might have been.
But the Rotorua crowd did have something to cheer about, with Yohanna Ottosson becoming the first local to win the women's race, finishing nearly six minutes ahead of her nearest rival.
Ottoson's victory was all the more remarkable as it was her first full marathon since a major knee injury two years ago.
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