Rowan Hooper from Christchurch finished 188th in the London Marathon yesterday recording 2h 43m 3s.

Hooper was through the half way mark in 1h 13m 29s.

Melanie Burke of Auckland, last year's winner at Rotorua, was 28th in the women's section in a time of 2h 52m 52s after passing the half way in 1h 22m 30s.

The race was run in an unseasonable heat haze which saw runners dropping like flies over the final stages.

Just six seconds covered the first three placings, Martin Lel of Kenya winning in 2h 7m 41s from Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco and Felix Limo of Kenya. Chunxiu Zhou of China won the women's section in 2h 20m 38s. Benita Johnson of Australia was seventh in 2h 29m 47s.

At the Oregon Invitational meeting in Eugene, Michael Aish was fourth in the 5000m in 13m 34.42s, with Jason Woolhouse tenth in 13m 55.40s.

Edwin Henshaw was tenth over 1500m in 3m 48.71s in the John McDonnell invitational meeting at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Arkansas.

Locally Paul Hamblyn anchored North Harbour Bays to victory in the Southland Centennial Shield relay in Auckland. Hamblyn had the third fastest 3000m lap time of 9m 5s. Scott Winton running for Pakuranga was the fastest with 8m 53s, with Dale Warrander in the Bays team recording 8m 59s. Kerry Rodger (45) was impressive in the masters men recording a lap of 9m 7s.

World Youth Champs representative Kelsi Patterson led her Pakuranga team of Maria Akesson and Chanel Williamson to win the women's relay. Akesson had the fastest lap of 10m 22s.

Hamblyn, fourth in the 1500m at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games said it was good to be back racing with no injuries.

"Training has been going well and I am looking forward to a big season in Europe and racing over 1500m against Gareth Hyett," said Hamblyn.

"I leave for Europe at the end of June and will have some build up races before trying to qualify for the world champs, in a race at the Dn Galan meeting in Stockholm in early August," he added.

Warrander, who has been selected for the world championships in the marathon said that it was hard work.

"It stretched the lungs out, but it was not too bad," he said.

Warrander will race over 10km in Huntly next month, before tackling the half marathon in Christchurch in early June followed by a 10km on the Gold Coast.

In the Lionel Fox Memorial relays at Woodend Beach in Canterbury Papanui Toc H won the senior men's 4 x 5km with Christchurch Avon winning the senior women.

Brett Smith (Pap Toc H) had the fastest individual time of 14m 15s, with Lucy Oliver of North Canterbury the fastest in the women with 16m 7s. The next fastest were Matt Harris of Port Hills 14m 42s and Nicki McFadzien of Christchurch Avon 17m 44s.

Colin Earwaker of Rotorua won the Cape Brett 37km challenge in Rawhiti, Northland in 4h 33m 12s.