24 hour challenge athletes selected

Otago runners Val Muskett and Matthew Bixley have been selected to represent New Zealand at the Eighth IAU 24 hour world challenge in Brive France in mid May.

They are both members of the Hill City Club in Dunedin.

Muskett was selected on her performance at the Commonwealth 24 hour ultra distance championship in Cumbria UK last September where she ran a distance of 201.431km. At the recent 100km championship around Lake Taupo she finished second in her fastest time for 14 years of 9h 24m 24s.

Bixley won the New Zealand 24 hour championship in the Auckland Sri Chinmoy event last October covering 201.200km.

It will be the first time that Bixley has represented New Zealand and the ninth for Muskett, who started her international career in 1997. She has run five times at the world 100km champs and this will be her fourth time at a 24 hour event.

The World Challenge will be held 13-14 May.