Nineteen year old Adam Hopkins ran his way to the overall title at the 18th annual 10-kilometre Dave Kaufman run sponsored by the Rotary Club of Nipissing. Photo by Andrew Hopkins.
Nineteen year old Adam Hopkins ran his way to the overall title at the 18th annual 10-kilometre Dave Kaufman run sponsored by the Rotary Club of Nipissing. Photo by Andrew Hopkins.
A young and energetic local runner ran his way to claim the overall title in the 10-kilometre race of the 18th annual Dave Kaufman Run on Sunday morning.
Nineteen year old, Adam Hopkins, a grade 12 student at St. Joseph Scollard Hall, led all finishers in the race; right from the start of the gun. He says that he is happy with his performance.
"Today’s race went extremely well. I fought really hard. I gave it all that I got and I kept the same pace," says Hopkins.
For Hopkins, it was the first time that he has ever won first overall in a race and in the process knocked off the defending two-time 10-kilometre Kaufman run champion Ed McColm. Hopkins says that he was thrilled about this huge accomplishment.
" We went in there and nobody expected me to win this race," says an ecstatic Hopkins. "Even some of the runners before the race saying that OH! Ed McColm is a fast runner and he is going to take the race on Sunday, no one would of thought that little Adam Hopkins here would of took him out."
Hopkins says that with one mile left, his mind couldn't comprehend what was happening.
" The only thing going through my head at that moment was just remembering the tough workouts that I did with Mr. Hale in the fall. Mr. Hale taught me these awesome workouts. Just a mile left and you are there. You got victory, just hang on, work hard, run, and have fun," explained a joyous Hopkins.
Hopkins completed the 10-kilometre route in a personal best time of 36:12. The race started at Lee Park and made its way along the Kate Pace Way to the Fire Station on Marshall Ave. then back down the Kate Pace Way all the way to the start of the Kate Pace way on Memorial Drive and then back to Lee Park.
On the women’s side of the 10-kilometre race Donna Mae Robins ran her way to a new personal best and a Fourth consecutive 10-kilometre title of the annual Dave Kaufman run
The event, which was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Nipissing. The event attracted 110 runners in three race categories. The 10-kilometre run, the 3-kilometre run and the one-mile race for youths in grade 8 or below.
Each race had individual age categories for the 10-kilometre race the age categories were under-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59 and over-60. In the 3-klometre run the age categories were divided up under-15, 16-19, and over-20. While the one-mile kids race was divided up in grades 3-4, grades 5-6, and grades 7-8.
Other race sponsors included Inn on the Bay, Cheapskates, Body Image and Step by Step.
The awards ceremony was held after the race at Inn on the Bay with a free breakfast for all the runners.
Also in attendance on Sunday was the man that the race was named after, Dave Kaufman. The 94-year old was at the start of the 10-kilometre race and handed out the awards afterwards to the top three finishers in each race and to the top three runners in the different age categories for the races.
