Just when we thought the cross country season had come to a close there was the little matter of the English Schools Cross Country Championships at Wollaton Park in Nottingham to consider. With athletes representing their counties and regions rather than the club it was the opportunity to pull on a different vest, ones of Shropshire, Staffordshire and the West Midlands, hopefully I’ve managed to find them all.
Tyler Hawley was the only representative in the Senior Boys race, wearing the Staffs vest Tyler was 164th in 21.47. Owen Ulfig pulled on the Staffs vest in the Intermediate Boys race crossing the line in 17.47 to take 31st place. There was a strong West Midlands team in the Junior Boys race where Fred Jones placed 4th in 14.14, Oscar Davis was 14th in 14.38, Sam Ball finished 45th in 15.17 and Bohdi Finn Shields was 103rd in 15.39. The West Mids team placed 3rd. Sam Thursfield wore the Staffs vest to finish in 65th in 15.24 and Will Hughes pulled on the Shropshire vest to place 194th in 16.13. In the Intermediate Girls race there was a 6th place finish for Isobelle Jones in 12.20 and Megan White was 184thin 14.06 representing the West Midlands, Scarlett Willoughby was 302nd in 15.15 for Shropshire and Ruby Buggins was 332nd in 16.16 for Staffs. And in the Junior Girls race there was a 275th spot for Ronni Read in 14.35 and Eleanor Simpson was 316th in 15.14 both for the West Midlands.
Away from the country and on the track for the first time this season in the University of Birmingham Winter Throws and Distance meeting there was a 5th place finish for Amelia Samuels who clocked 16.18.60 over 5000m, unfortunately Louie Lambeth had to drop out with foot issues and was unable to finish.
On the road there was a 102nd place finish for Rob Carrington in the Colwyn Bay Metric Marathon, Rob completed the 26.2km distance (that’s a fraction over sixteen and a quarter in old money) in 2.24.27. Elsewhere Jack Picket placed 4th in 1.55.27 and Dan Turner was 5th in 1.57.13 in the Knighton 20 where there were instrumental in the Shropshire team taking the 1stteam prize in the inter counties event.
And further afield our marathon duo were joined by a third member in Spain where they took part in the Barcelona Marathon. Dave Joynson was 1494th in 3.17.09, his 199th marathon finish, Garry Palmer was 4260th in 3.46.39 and Gill Mitchell finished in 5.22.39 to take 10447th place.
Dave Norman
