Kehoe glad to be back in shape

FRANCIS KEHOE won the 50th anniversary Liberation Road Race in 1995 and he was back to his winning ways yesterday. In one of his last major races before officially turning 40 in August and taking on veteran status, Kehoe battled against a strong wind in the second half of the race from Les Dicqs to town to clock a winning time of 40min. 57sec.

Paul Ingrouille, already of veteran age, was runner-up in 41-45 with Dave Dyke third in 42-08.

Kehoe was happy to make the most of an opportunity presented by the absence of the island's top three senior men, Lee Merrien, Steve Dawes and Alan Rowe, away at a training camp in La Baule, south Brittany.

'We had a good tussle to just before Bordeaux,' said Kehoe afterwards, reflecting on his early battle with Ingrouille.

'There was a headwind all the way from Bordeaux and, especially, from the Halfway.

'They were slow times because of the headwind.

'We set off at a steady pace but it was tough in the middle,' he added.

Kehoe is enjoying something of a renaissance after years of work studies taking precedent over running.

He will be one of Guernsey's two representatives over 10,000m at the Island Games in Rhodes and is really looking forward to the occasion, eyeing a sub 33min. finish there.

'It's great to be back in shape,' he said with a satisfied smile.

With the likes of Louise Perrio, Martine Scholes and Gail Merrien also absent in France, Di Lawrence took the chance to win the wom-en's race in a time of 51-04.

Overall there were 66 starters.