MEDALS GALORE FOR NWRRC RUNNERS IN 4K VIRTUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

 

Report by Don Hale.  Photographs by Steve Jeffery.

Four teams from NWRRC each won a prestigious collection of gold, silver and bronze medals at last weekend’s virtual 4k North Wales relay championships, and seven club members also registered individual age category podium placings.

Martin Green was the 1^st M45 cat winner, with club chairman Kevin Slattery also winning his M65 cat. And Carla Green made it a unique family double by finishing 2^nd in her W45 group, with second place additionally shared by Jonathan Kettle as 2^nd M45 cat, Richard Eccles, as 2^nd M50 cat, and Don Hale 3^rd in his M65 category.

Martin Green leads Jonathan Kettle in a final dash for the line

Staged individually on varied local courses due to current Covid-19 restrictions, the club entered 23 male and female athletes, plus two juniors amongst the near 400 starters.

The NWRRC ‘A’ team won gold in 1^st place, and the ‘B’ squad finished 7^th in the highly competitive 4k Masters M40 & M45 fixture. Martin Green led them home in 3^rd place overall, and he was also the 1^st M45 runner in 13 mins 14 secs, with Jonathan Kettle 4^th, and 2^nd M45 cat in 13.27, with Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts 7^th in 14.04.

Stephen Bozier enjoyed a good run following his return from marathon injury in 15^th place in 15.19, with Stuart Culverhouse 19^th in 15.48, Steven Poupart 26^th in 16.47, and Richard Scamans 27^th in 16.56.

                                  Steve Bozier sprints to the line just ahead of Gethin Wyn Jones

                                                   Josh Keogh and Richard Eccles in action

                                                   Tony Gibson

The club’s experienced ‘Dad’s Army’ team of veteran runners claimed a deserved bronze in the M60 & M65 age category event, with Kevin Slattery finishing 5^th overall and 1^st M65 cat winner in 16.40, followed by Don Hale 8^th and 3^rd M65 cat in 18.27, with Tony Gibson 12^th overall in 18.48.

The Senior Men’s & M35 team just missed out on honours by finishing 4^th in the team awards despite some very positive performances, with all club runners dipping under 16 minutes for the 4k course.

Josh Keogh led the line in this group and was 9^th overall in 13.51, followed by Mark Jessett 14^th in 14.12, Gethin Wyn Jones 20^th in 15.11, and Tony Price Jones 25^th in 15.52. 

Richard Eccles was the only club entrant in the M50-55 age category but he ran extremely well and was 2^nd overall, and 2^nd M50 cat in 13.51, and he finished just 12 seconds behind leader Darren Rowlands from Wrexham AC in 13.39.

                                                           

                                                           Lesley Goodson

Ladies claim silver medals

 

The two NWRRC Ladies teams both won silver medals in different age categories at the 4k relay championships. In the W40 & W45 section, Carla Green again impressed following a long lay-off through injury, to finish 2^nd overall and was 2^ndW45 cat in 16.13.  Sara Ferguson Hudson was 14^th in 18.15, with Hannah Griffith 19^th in 18.46, finishing narrowly ahead of her club colleague Helen Hannam, who was 21^st in 18.57. 

Plaudits too for plucky Rachel Morris, who broke her leg days before the event but walked the course with crutches and her leg in plaster to finish 36^th in 57.14.

The W50 & W55 section was equally competitive, with the team winning silver and Lesley Goodson showed an incredibly clean pair of heels to finish 3^rd overall, and 3^rd in her W55 age category in a very fast time of 17.21. Lesley was just 16 seconds behind the race winner Ceri Diss of Denbigh Harriers. Kay Hatton was also on top form in 5^th place recording 18.24, with a determined Cheryl Frost 11^th in 20.04.

                                                         Carla Green

                                                                   Kay Hatton

 

Medal-winning team results

GOLD: M40 & M45: 40.45 Pts: 3^rd Martin Green 13.14, 4^th Jonathan Kettle 13.27, 7^th Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts 14.04

SILVER: W40 & W45: 53.45 Pts: 2^nd Carla Green 16.13, 14^th Sarah Ferguson Hudson 18.15, 19^th Hannah Griffith 18.46

SILVER: W50 & W55: 55.49 Pts: 3^rd Lesley Goodson 17.21, 5^th Kay Hatton 18.24, 11^th Cheryl Frost 20.04

BRONZE: M60 & M65: 53.55 Pts: 5^th Kevin Slattery 16.40, 8^th Don Hale 18.27. 12^th Tony Gibson 18.48

 

Success for debutant junior female runners 

 

*NWRRC club members Karl and Rachel Morris, celebrated their daughter Mia’s success in the North Wales relay championships, where she claimed a silver medal in the 4k U15 Girls & U17 Women’s race, along with her junior colleagues from Colwyn Bay AC. The 15-year old runner made her debut in the team event and finished 10^th overall in 19.11. She was part of a talented squad of three excellent runners, which also included Ella Grundy 4^th in 16.44, and Ceri Watson 9^th in 18.44.

                                                       Mia Morris won a team silver medal

                         Steve Bozier's daughter Lucy finished 1st in the Girls U11s race on her debut

*Another successful junior debutant was Steve Bozier’s daughter Lucy, who finished in 1^st place of the U11 girl’s race. Run over 2k, this was Lucy’s first competitive relay outing for the Colwyn Bay junior club, and she ran well and completed the course in just 10 mins 10 secs, which was 14 seconds ahead of rival Katy Butterworth, who led home her Eyri Harriers team home. Unfortunately, Lucy didn’t win a medal as she competed as an individual and was not supported by other team members.

December 3rd 2020. Copyright @ Don Hale

 

Ends.