Newyddion
Welsh Women Storm To New Lifetime Bests In Kew Marathon Test
26/03/2021 00:00, I Mewn Blog /
The ladies stole the show at the Muller British Olympic Marathon Trials in Kew Gardens as Natasha Cockram stormed to a new Welsh record.
The MMRT athlete clocked 2:30.03 to lower her own record from 2:30.49 and coming agonisingly close to the 2:29.30 Olympic qualification mark.
Both Cockram and fellow Welsh athlete Charlotte Arter had been in the leading group and well inside the required mark at halfway passed in 1:14.05.
Arter was unfortunately unable to hold that early pace on her marathon debut but Cockram was able to pull clear in second place after race leader Stephanie Davis surged away from the field in the final 10km.
With 40km passed in 2:22.16 Cockram appeared to be outside the required pace for the first time but dug deep to finish second with an impressive P.B.
Rosie Edwards of Rotherham Harriers ran strongly to pass fellow Welsh athlete Clara Evans in the closing stages and finish in 2:31.56 to seal third in the women’s race with Evans fifth in 2:32.42.
This meant that the pair took a staggering 9 minutes and 14 minutes off their previous bests respectively and that all three sailed under the Commonwealth Games qualification standard of 2:35.30.
Dewi Griffiths had spoken of an Olympic marathon place being a childhood dream earlier in the week and all was going well until the late stages of the race. He was with the leading group over a minute ahead of the target pace until the final 10km.
His eventual 2:13.42 clocking was still a solid performance for the Swansea Harrier in fourth, well inside the Commonwealth games qualification standard of 2:15.30.
Fellow Swansea Harrier Joshua Griffiths was the next finisher in fifth and his 2:15.08 was also inside the Commonwealth Games target time.
National M40 record holder and Stockport Harrier, Andrew Davies was just outside with a solid 2:15.50.
The marathon races were preceeded by 20km race walks trials where there were three Welsh athletes in action.
Unfortunately conditions weren’t as good at Kew for the walks where Heather Lewis of Pembrokeshire Harriers claimed a gun to tape victory in 1:35.44 with friend and rival Cardiff AC’s Bethan Davies second in 1:37.04.
Tonbridge AC’s Guy Thomas was third in the men’s event with a time of 1:30.19.
Full results here