Four Road Runners proudly wore the red vest of Wales in the Mid Cheshire 5k International race - plus other results.

*The Welsh Masters team pictured (*above) at the Mid Cheshire Summer 5k race (Photo courtesy of team manager Bernie Jones).

Four Road Runners wore the red vest of Wales in the Mid Cheshire 5k International race...plus other results.

Report by Don Hale.

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk

 

Four North Wales Road Runners represented their club and country last Friday night at the Mid Cheshire Summer 5k race, with another three club members also competing as worthy individuals.

In a star-spangled event, which attracted almost 1,000 top club and elite athletes over this fast and flat course, the quality of the entries from all around the UK, was confirmed by the first forty-six runners all dipping under 15-minutes. 

Martin Green, Jonathan Kettle, Steve Gardner, and Karen Butler were amongst a Welsh party of 51 top runners who proudly wore the red vest of Wales against a strong England team, with some other athletes wearing the prominent colours of Ireland and Scotland.

Martin led the club team home finishing in 171st place, and he was the 6th Welsh counter, and 9th in his MV45 age cat in 16.03, with Jonathan Kettle 305th in 16.59, and the 16th counter. Meanwhile, Steve Gardner, fresh from his recent track success, finished 583rd in 18.38, and Karen Butler turned in a good performance in 893rd place, and she was 6th in her FV65 cat in 23.40.

*Pictured above (l-r): Martin Green, Jonathan Kettle, Steve Gardner, and Karen Butler, who all represented Wales in the Mid Cheshire 5k.

After the race, Jonathan Kettle bravely admitted that he was disappointed with his performance and said: “I have wanted to wear that vest for many years and finally got the chance this evening at the Mid Cheshire race. No excuses but with everything going on I went into this race way out of shape, and way too tired, but no way I was missing the opportunity. 

“I may not have been fast, but I laced up the shoes and left absolutely nothing in the tank, and as long as I can do that I will be satisfied! Onwards and upwards!”

Harry Driscoll, Will Williams and Jamie Tharme also competed well in the same race for NWRRC with Harry celebrating a good run in 411th place in 17.39, whilst Will also recorded a good time of 19.10 following injury in 654th place, and Jamie shook-off a recent injury to finish 847th in 22.17. 

 

*Harry Driscoll (*above left), with Will Williams, and Jamie Tharme.

*The event was won by Aron Gebremariam (Birchfield Harriers) in 13.58, with Calum Johnson (Gateshead Harriers & AC), 2nd in 14.03, and Andrew Heyes (Hallamshire Harriers), was 3rd in 14.08. *The first female athlete home was Samantha Harrison (Charnwood), 75th overall, in 15.18, with Lauren Heyes (Hallamshire Harriers), 2nd in 15.22, with Emily Haggard-Kearnley (Warriors Pentathlon & AC), 3rd in 15.56. *There were 977 finishers overall.

*This is a link to the provisional Welsh team and overall results from the Mid Cheshire 5k race:

https://runcheshire.niftyentries.com/Results/Mid-Cheshire-5k-Summer-2024

 

Other results:

*Fell Race: Charlotte Rose Wilton-Jones took part in the challenging Gladstone 9 fell race on Sunday and she finished 69th overall, and the 20th female in 2 hrs 10 mins and 29 secs. The event included a gruelling course of 14.32kms with 808m of elevation, and Charlotte was 7th in her F-Open age cat.

*Prestatyn: Three NWRRC members travelled to the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn on Saturday with Carla Green finishing as the first female finisher in 6th place overall, and she won her VW50 age cat in 20.54, with Kay Hatton also winning her VW60 cat in 24th place, as the third female in 24.37, whilst Elizabeth Driscoll was 130th in 37.31.

*Penrhyn: Steve Mason finished 12th at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun and he was 3rd in his VM50 age cat in 20.48.