File photo from Cross Country Championships.


© Copyright – 2018 – Athletics Illustrated

Vancouver runners Natasha Wodak and Rachel Cliff put it all out there during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 10,000-metre event Monday and finished fifth and ninth respectively.

Wodak recorded her second best all-time and season best 10,000-metres of 31:50.18. Her fastest to date is the national record 31:41.59.

Cliff was just less than 21 seconds back with her 32:11.11, also a season best. She has run as fast as 32:00.03 from the IAAF World Track and Field Championships in London 2017.

The race was won by Uganda’s Stella Chesang with her 31:45.30. Kenyan Stacy Ndiwa was just over one second back at 31:46.36 for silver and the bronze was won by Ugandan Mercyline Chelangat.

Wodak and Cliff were both with the leaders through half-way, with a handful of laps remaining the frontrunners spread the field, but Wodak remained within striking distance. A final 800-metre effort would be required to sort out the finisher order.

With an approximate 2:21.60 final two laps, Wodak was flying, laying everything on the track, she nearly matched the medallists during the final 800m. She came close, less than two seconds from the bronze medal position, but it was not enough for a medal, but is one of if not her all-time best global championships placing.