Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Nikki Chapple
by Chris Wainwright
At the age of 28 Nikki Chapple is starting to understand what it’s like to be more than just a “junior talent with an enormous future". A win at the recent Great Australian Run (pictured below) in Melbourne has thrust Chapple into the international athletics limelight, and she should start getting used to the extra attention.
When you defeat such athletes as Benita Willis (pre-race favourite) and Helen Clitheroe (dual Olympian), it becomes difficult to remain “just another runner”. With just a number to differentiate Chapple from all the other athletes in the field (unlike Willis who had her name on her bib – to signify her standing within the world of road racing), it was Chapple who made the run around the streets of Melbourne look easy.
As she broke through the tape at the end of the 15km road race, with the rain pouring down, it was if the world stood up and took notice of this very talented athlete. Although looking back through her career, the road she has taken has been less than an easy one.
Career Summary
Rewind just over 11 years and the 17 year-old Chapple was taking on the best juniors in the world at the World Junior Cross Country Championships. There she was to place 42nd, recording a time of 21:34, which was just over two minutes behind the winner – Yimenashu Taye of Ethopia (19:32). Later in 1998 Chapple was again to represent Australia, this time on the track at the World Junior Championships in Annecy, France. There she failed to make the final in either the 3000m (9th in her heat – 9.40.62) or the 5000m (10th in her heat – 16.57.02), but her talent at such a young age was clearly visible. By the end of the year Chapple had personal bests of 9.35.28 for 3000m and 16.20.6(h) for 5000m.
After a brief absence from athletics Chapple finally returned to the track under the guidance of Pam Turney, although by the time she was to leave for the United States on an athletic scholarship with the University of Iowa her personal bests had not been bettered (recording 5000m bests of 17.07.83 in 2002 and 16.55.54 in 2003).
In one of Chapple’s first appearance for Iowa (in 2003) (pictured right), she was to place a very creditable 15th at the Big 10 Cross Country Championships (21:45 for 6km) and then went onto place 32nd at the NCAA Regional Cross Country Championships. Returning to the track in 2004, Chapple was also producing some very solid results indoors. Chapple recorded indoor bests of 9.34.17 for 3000m at the Husker Invite and 16.27.04 for 5000m at Alex Wilson Invite. She then went onto place 3rd at the Big 10 Championships, recording another solid 3000m time of 9.37.80. During the outdoor season Chapple ran a 35.06.35 for 10000m at Mt.SAC Relays and then placed 8th in the 10000m and 11th in the 5000m at the Big 10 Championships. To end the year Chapple ran 21:04 over 6km at the NCAA Regional Cross Country Championships, which was at the time the second fastest in school history.
Over the next two years (2005-2006), Chapple struggled with injuries and was not to improve on her impressive years of 2003-2004, and by the time she landed back in Australia running was the furthest thing from her mind.
The Breakthrough Run
With so many talented junior athletes this could have simply been the end of the story. But just as we had dismissed Chapple ever returning to the pinnacle of distance running, a “quiet run” over the half marathon distance in Melbourne in 2008 changed everything. On the 7th September the “quiet run” turned into an impressive debut run of 74:38, a time that took Chapple to a shock victory.
Just over a month later Chapple was to place second at the Melbourne half marathon, recording a time of 76:34 in trying conditions. In just over a month Chapple had again shown her natural ability on the roads, and most importantly there was a sense of enjoyment in her running. Her final road race for the year saw another glimpse of what was to take place in the future, placing 3rd at the Burnie 10km in 33:55.
As with the end of 2008, the commencement of 2009 was to see Chapple produce more personal bests. This time it was at the Victorian Championships (May), where she recorded a blistering 32:28 over 10km, a time that again saw her take victory. Chapple then backed up the victory with a win at the Launceston 10km, again recording a fast time of 32:44.
Invited to train with Nick Bideau in London, Chapple was then to go onto place 3rd in the Great Yorkshire Run (32:40 over 10km) and 4th at the Great Capital Run (16:03 over 5km). A week later Chapple was to run the race of her life. On September 20th, Chapple lined up in the Great North Run in the half marathon. Hoping to break her existing personal best of 74:38 there was nothing to suggest that she would run the 5th fastest time by an Australian female in history (see table below). Passing 10km in 33:12 and 15km in 49:42, Chapple finished in a huge personal best time of 70:03 (pictured left). Her 4th placing against such quality opposition was even more impressive than her actual time, a performance that was dually noted by more than just the distance fraternity back in Australia, it was a performance that took Chapple into the elite level of distance running.
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