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Weekend Round-Up (21-22 September 2024)
23/09/2024 00:00, In Blog /
RAS PEDOL PERIS (British/Welsh (Long) Mountain Running Championships) – LLANBERIS, SEPTEMBER 21
Gavin Roberts (Calder Valley) and Suzie Richards (Eryri Harriers) were crowned the Welsh Athletics Mountain Running (Long Race) Champions at Llanberis on Saturday.
The Pedol Peris (28km/2600m) event also hosted the British (Long Race) championships.
Despite the dry weather, there was very poor visibility around the summits leading to some poor navigation choices by some of the competitors with 18 non-finishers and 187 finishers overall. More than 300 had originally entered the event.
Gavin Roberts, having recently missed out to Rhys Jones (Rhedwyr Hebog Runners) in the Cilcain (Short Race Championships) event, had a six minute advantage over Rhys as he took the title in a time of 3:32:24, finishing 16th overall and just missing out on the British MV/40 (Long) title by 19 seconds.
Rhys finished 22nd overall in a time of 3:38:28 followed by 27th placed Ifan Oldfield (Wrexham AAC) in 3:42:25.
Suzie Richards (Eryri) was the clear Welsh female winner finishing 8th female overall in a time of 4:20:37 ahead of Joanne Henderson (Denbigh Harriers) 4:29:41.
Joanne had the satisfaction of winning the Welsh and British F/45 (Long Race) title. There was also double Welsh and British success for Andrea Rowlands FV/50 (Eryri Harriers) 4:43:27 and Rhian Probert FV/55 (Mynydd Du) 4:44:20.
The overall race winner was under-23 athlete Finlay Grant (Dark Peak Fell Runners), who clocked a winning time of 3:14.58.
Runner-up was Tim Lamont (Helm Hill Harriers) who crossed the line in 3:15.15, ahead of Harry Bolton (Keswick AC) who finished in 3:19.06.
The first female finisher, who was 13th overall, was Naomi Lang (Carnethy Hill Racing Club) who clocked 3:30.50, ahead of Nichola Jackson (Keswick AC) in 3:45.25 and Antonia Fan (Ambleside AC) in 3:54.07.
A successful day overall. Well done to Mike Blake for organising the event and all of the event marshalls/associated helpers/Mountain Rescue, especially those who braved the cold, windy and low visibility summit checkpoints.
MEETING INTERNAZIONE MASTER CITTA DI BELLINZONA – SWITZERLAND, SEPTEMBER 21
Michelle Thomas (Birchfield Harriers/Welsh Masters) enjoyed a successful day at the European Masters Athletics Master Meetings Circuit event in Switzerland on Saturday.
Thomas won her 100 and 200m races in 13.76 and 28.57 respectively. The V50 age group athlete also finished second in a new PB of 13.99 in the 80m hurdles.
VITALITY WESTMINSTER MILE – LONDON, SEPTEMBER 21
Young T34 wheelchair athlete Imogen Ashwell-Rice (Newport Harriers) produced an excellent performance at the Westminster Mile in London on Saturday.
The promising 12-year-old finished third in the Under-18 female race, registering a time of 6:54. The two athletes who finished ahead of her were aged 16 and 18-years old respectively.
The Vitality Westminster Mile, which finished in front of Buckingham Palace, saw 5,000 completing a range of races for all ages and abilities, including elite athletes, veterans, juniors, and wheelchair users.
Saturday wasn’t Imogen’s first successful experience of racing on the streets of London this year. In April, the youngster won the under-14 girls T33-34 race at the TCS London Marathon.
BELFAST HALF MARATHON – SEPTEMBER 22
Natasha Wilson (Nee Cockram) (Micky Morris Racing Team) made a brilliant return to competitive running by winning the Belfast City Half Marathon on Sunday.
The 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games athlete had not run competitively since finishing fourth at the Mitja Marató Internacional Vila de Santa Pola half marathon in Spain way back in January.
A long-term knee injury meant the former Welsh marathon record holder missed out on the chance of fulfilling her dream of competing at the Paris Olympics.
But Wilson, who represented Great Britain at last year’s World Championships in Hungary, returned to racing in brilliant style on Sunday taking the win on the streets of Belfast.
The Welsh athlete forced the pace from early on to break the tape in 72:47 – more than a minute ahead of last year’s winner and home favourite Anne Marie McGlynn. Monica Silva, of Portugal, was third in 74.59.
Wilson commented after the race: “To be back on the race circuit was my only goal today. To break the tape was a bonus.
“A far more challenging course than I thought and not the fastest time but another step back.”
NEPTUNE FISH AND CHIPS BEAUMARIS 10K AND HALF MARATHON – SEPTEMBER 22
The Beaumaris Run Fest 2024 was staged over the weekend, featuring adult half marathon and 10K races.
The men’s half marathon was won by Stephen Campbell (Liverpool Harriers) in 1:15.09 ahead of Lloyd Williams (Cybi Striders) in 1:18.53 and John Harris (UTS Running Club) in 1:24.41.
The women’s race was won by Dom Searle (Cheshire Dragons) in 1:32.42, with Emily Mills (UTS Running Club) 1:36.33 second and Melissa Williams (Cybi Striders) third in 1:43.14.
The men’s 10K was won by Gavin Stuart (Meirionnydd Running Club) in 33:36, beating Andrew Moore (Bangor University) into second place in 35:52, with Alun Williams third in 35:59.
Caroline Lambert (Keswick AC) won the women’s race in 37:52. Elliw Haf (Eryri Harriers) was second in 42:19 and Laura McKenzie (Betsi Runaways) third in 45:48.
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