U13 Girls - Hannah Morton, Connie Lewis, Rosalind Firth |
U13 Boys - James McCarthy, Joe Cochrane, Bill Hughes |
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U13 Girls - Hannah Morton, Connie Lewis, Rosalind Firth |
U13 Boys - James McCarthy, Joe Cochrane, Bill Hughes |
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Click on photos to enlarge - use browser back button to return Pictures by Steve Perkin |
Chiltern Harriers young athletes continued their excellent season with great performances at the National Road Relay Championships at Sutton Park, Birmingham on Sunday.
The Under 13 boys and girls confirmed they are amongst the best teams in the country with the girls achieving fourth place and the boys winning the bronze medal.
The girls were the first of the six races during the day and the A team consisted of Hannah Morton, Connie Lewis and Rosalind Firth. There were 59 girls at the start line and Hannah led off on the undulating but fast 3.8K circuit, coming in an impressive 12th position in 15.27. The middle leg was taken by Connie Lewis who continued her great form with a run of 14.40, bringing the team up to fourth place and being the fastest second leg of the race. This proved to be the sixth best time overall in the girls race from 160 competitors. The final leg runner was Rosalind Firth who although overtaken by eventual winners Aldershot, Farnham and District, overtook the Blackpool runner to maintain fourth place. Rosalind finished only three seconds behind the third placed runner from Bracknell and her time of 15.25 was the fifth fastest third leg. The B team of Evie Gardner (17.02), Emma Barraclough (16.59), and Maria Slade (18.14) finished a creditable 39th and 8th B team.
The boys Under 13 race was next on the schedule and Joe Cochrane led off in fine form, bringing the team in at third place with a run of 13.52 - this was the seventh fastest boys leg of the day. Next runner was James McCarthy who ran 14.01, the fastest second leg of the day, to put the team in the lead going into the final lap. Bill Hughes ran well with a time of 14.29 and, although overtaken by two runners who achieved amongst the fastest laps of the day, held on to third place and thereby ensured the team ended up with bronze medals, the first achieved by the club at these championships. The B team of Sam Butcher (15.51), Joe Aherne (14.47), and Robert Hughes (16.01) finished in 26th place, and second B team.
The Under 15 boys B team had a difficult day. Michael Goddard on the first leg came in 21st in 13.15 and handed over to Dan Barraclough. Dan went off well but struggled later with a sore foot. This later proved to be a broken metatarsal and Dan who still ran 14.07, is now in plaster. On the last leg Jack Dutton ran 13.26 and the team finished in 16th position from 58 complete teams. In the B team George Gillingwater had a very good run of 13.10 to come home 17th. Jack Walker (14.27) and Alex Johnson (14.42) completed the team who ended up in 31st place and fourth B team.