Cross Country joy for WSEH
Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club (WSEH) had perhaps their best ever overall results in the South of England Cross Country Championships on Saturday with three sets of team medals
They won golds in the u15s boys and u15s girls plus bronze in the u20s men during the event at Stammer Park, Brighton.
Gus Cockle led the WSEH charge in the u15s boys race with his ninth place, followed by George Gathercole in 17th, Jivendra Sigh in 19th and Josh Bowden completing the team in 21st place.
Becca Croft was in top form in the u15s girls race in seventh place, the best WSEH individual placing of the day. She was well supported by a super run from Sarah Chapman in 14th, with Eloise Davison 17th and Josie Savill completing the team-scoring in 20th place
The surprise medals came in the u20s men’s race where several key athletes were missing. Bradley Goater expectedly proved the fastest of the WSEH squad with his 10th place, Alex Goodall was 32nd with Nathan Ditton (44th) and Ben Kennard (65th) closing the team.
The u17s men’s team had expected to be medal challengers but finished fifth. Jack Rowe was first home in 18th place, Charlie Critchley 40th, Ricky Harvie 48th and Kieran Wye in 49th.
The u13s girls team were also expected to be medal contenders but without two of their top performers, medal hopes disappeared on the start line.
Even so with 10 athletes, the local club were well represented and they ended up fifth. Alex Barbour was to the fore with her 12th place, followed by Evie Higton (38th), Tara de Klerk (41st) and Nancy Scott (68th).
Tom Fitch was the best of the u13s boys with his 28th place. There were big gaps before the rest of the team crossed the line with Max O’Neill 68th, Joe Moszkal 109th and Jack Davies 111th.
The women’s u17s team performed well for their fifth place in the team event. Nicola Swaffield had a good run for 21st place with Kirsty Marshall (34th), Mary-Alice Davison (48th) and Emma Croft (53rd).
* WSEH had two athletes on show in the televised Aviva Indoor International in Glasgow.
Lawrence Clarke set a new personal best (pb) of 7.67secs in the 60m hurdles and in doing so got the better of UK No.1 Andy Turner who finished fifth. Shelayna Oskan got her first senior international vest finishing fifth in the 400m in 55.57.
* In an Indoor International Meeting in Bratislava, WSEH’s Helen Pryer was second in the 400m in 56.52 and fifth in the 60m in 7.74 while Yasmine Regis secured fourth in the triple jump with 12.88m.
MAIDENHEAD ATHLETICS CLUB
Four Maidenhead Athletic Club members competed in the Slaughterford 9, a multi-terrain race over nine miles of steeply undulating countryside, carrying a sting in its tail.
While tackling 900 feet of ascent/descent in the Slaughterford valley, runners encountered tarmac, stony paths, fields, tracks and green lanes.
First home for the club was Gerald Killen in a time of 1hr 18mins 29secs closely followed by Jeremy Lockett who finished in 1.18.57.
John Rickman crossed the line in 1.29.02, just ahead of Darrell Bressington in 1.34.47.
