Great Court Race winner has designs on Olympics

Architecture student Nick Lorenz has designs on a berth in Australia's Sydney Olympic Games team after his victory today in the men's section of the 15th University of Queensland Great Court Race

A big crowd was on hand to see Lorenz, 19, finish too strongly for 1997 and 1998 winner Mark Abercromby, completing the 636 metre lap around the sandstone corridors of the University's Great Court in a time of 1:28.09 seconds, the third fastest time in the 15 years of the event.

ABC sports broadcaster Gerry Collins made sure excitement was kept at a fever pitch as runners started on the first toll of the University's bell. The challenge was to finish before it tolled 12 times and be assured of a race record.

Abercromby, a computer science and electrical engineering student, led for much of the race and his 1:28.78 seconds was half a second faster than his winning time last year. Third was Business Management student Marcus Katter, runner-up last year, in 1:28.81 seconds.

Brisbane-born Lorenz, who was well in contention last year before falling at the final turn of the tight circuit, has set himself the challenge of representing Australia in the 800 metres in Sydney next year.

He took out the national under 20 800 metre title in Melbourne last year, qualifying for the World Junior Games in France and then competing in the Belgian Open titles.

"It has all been part of a good build up under the guidance of my coach Pat Clohessy, and I only need to improve my times by a couple of seconds to be right up there with a chance of making the Olympics," Lorenz said.

Queensland Country 400m and 800m champion Belinda Lean, a speech pathology student from the Sunshine Coast, made it a double by winning the women's section in a time of 1:45.51 seconds, a four-second improvement on her 1998 effort, and also the third fastest time in race history.

Second was Megan Mansfield, a bachelor of science student, in 1:48.01 seconds, and third was science student Catherine Muldoon in 1:48.26 seconds.

UQ Sport team, featuring dual Olympic sprinter Kerry Johnson, won the inaugural departmental relay, while Duchesne College won the inter-college women's relay and the King's College team took out the inter-college men's relay.