Liberation Day Race winner James de Garis.

JAMES DE GARIS joked he was targeting the Olympics after finishing ahead of London 2012 hopeful Lee Merrien in the Liberation Day race.

Over seven miles de Garis, 32, won by nearly a minute from runner-up Nikki Neal, while Merrien and Steve Dawes, the two classiest men in the field, dawdled over the finish line together in joint third spot.

While to de Garis it was the first win of his running career to join a very long list of names on the Pessimists AC Trophy first competed for in 1946, to Merrien and Dawes it was merely an opportunity to ease through a gentle seven miles amidst a bit of company.

And while they operated in second gear, de Garis fought unhelpful conditions to win in 43min. 1sec., one of the slower times in the 65-year history of the traditional event which has its start at Les Dicqs and finish on the White Rock.

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