JUNIOR HOME INTERNATIONAL & BRITISH/IRISH JUNIOR MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS
BONALY EDINBURGH SCOTLAND 12/10/2008
The Welsh juniors gained valuable international experience on the up and down Pentland Hills course which should help with their development towards the senior ranks. Exciting Bridgend AC prospect James Brock is certainly one for the future, finishing 2nd in the U14 3.3k one lap race. In the girls U16 4.5k one short one long lap race Lauren Harries (Aberystwyth AC) running as a development athlete made her mark on the international scene with an 8th place finish despite badly twisting her ankle on the last descent which cost her a couple of places, the team of 8th Aneura Phillips (Carmarthen AC), 13th Sara Livett (Menai T&F) and 16th Lisa Peters (Menai T&F) did well to finish 3rd team on the day, equal on points with N. Ireland, with Lisa being ahead of N. Ireland’s 3rd counter, Wales took the bronze! Well should have! The bronze medals were awarded to the N. Ireland team on the day, though hopefully, Wales U16 girls will eventually receive their bronze medals. Unfortunately, Abbie Oliver (Deeside AC) was forced to drop out of the race due to a back injury.
Due to late withdrawals and unavailability, Sophie Kendrick (Brecon AC) was our only athlete in the girls U18 5.8km two short and one lap race, still Sophie ran well to finish 9th beating all the Irish team in the process, the boys U16 competing in the same race as Sophie were led home by 7th placed Jamie Wright (Deeside AC) in his first mountain race of note, followed by 15th Calum Muskett (Menai T&F) and 18th Huw Jones (Menai T&F), unfortunately the team missed out on any medals with Josh Harries dropping out of the race when well placed due to illness.
In the boys U18 two extended laps 6.8km course, the team of 7th placed Nathan Hardee (Newport H) who has done very well this year along with 8th placed Ricky Challinor (Deeside AC) and 10th Michael Kallenberg (Ingli R) whenever called upon to represent Wales and in Ricky’s case, Team GB! Plus 16th Dave Mountford (Deeside AC) who is still developing as a mountain runner they were our most successful quartet winning silver behind the home team.
Well done to everyone, all the athletes were a credit to their country and behaved impeccably.
ARWEL LEWIS
MOUNTAIN RUNNING SECRETARY
