Clark on track for a bridge triumph

A TRIO of Rio Olympians will start favourite to win the Run the Bridge title in Hobart tomorrow — and Tasmanian marathoner Milly Clark hopes it can be her.

Clark will be joined by Australian 3000m steeplechaser Victoria Mitchell and Canadian 5000m runner Andrea Seccafien for the 10km bridge showdown.

Australia’s highest-placed marathon runner in Rio, placing 18th, Clark says the bridge run is her favourite on the local fun-run circuit.

“It’s by far my favourite race in Tasmania,” she said. “There are so many iconic parts of Hobart you get to experience and racing over the Tasman Bridge on a Sunday morning is something special you can’t do any other day of the year.”

The 29-year-old nutritionist moved home last year and after a series of injuries over the past two seasons believes she is close to regaining her racing edge.

“Being back in Tasmania now is so refreshing,” she said.

“I did the Sydney thing for a few years, but I love living in Tasmania. The running is sensational and the sense of community at events like the Bank of us Run the Bridge just isn’t replicated anywhere else.

“I’ve been doing some training in Launceston with Karinna Fyfe recently and she is moving well, so I’d expect her to be right up there in the finish.”

Mitchell took the title in 2016 when she clocked 33min 33sec and is looking forward to adding another crown

“I have great memories of Run the Bridge as it was one of my biggest victories on the road running circuit,” Mitchell said. “It’s not often I beat Eloise Wellings, but I did that day. It was a surprising win and I hope I can surprise myself again this year.”

Race director Richard Welsh said the elite field this year is the “deepest” in race history and that a record field of more than 3600 is on the cards for the 10th anniversary of the event, with entries open until noon today.

The race is from Blundstone Arena to Princes Wharf No.1.