ATHLETICS: Debut joy and Grand Prix delight for Rugby & Northampton

Rugby & Northampton produced strong performances at the Vitality London 10,000m road race and event four of the East Midlands Grand Prix Series
Northampton's Emily Williams was on form again in Milton KeynesNorthampton's Emily Williams was on form again in Milton Keynes
Northampton's Emily Williams was on form again in Milton Keynes

Gabrielle Moriarty shone on her debut to lead the Rugby & Northampton Women’s team in the Vitality London 10,000m road race on Monday 30th May 2016.

Moriarty completed her first race over the distance in 38 minutes and 36 seconds to become the first R&N athlete over the line and finish in 59th place.

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Achieving a personal best was Lorna Latimer who covered the course in 42:50 for 184th spot, and two places and one second behind was Angela Copson, producing a season’s best to clinch victory in the W65 category at the third time of trying over the distance this year.

Helen Jones (47:33) set a personal best to finish in the top 40 in the W45 age group, and 410th overall, while Kate Williams claimed 13th position amongst the over-55s in 48:29 (476th).

Completing the squad was Minerva Chesser with a lifetime best of 49:10 (538th).

It was also a successful race for the two R&N male athletes taking part as 20-year-old Elisha De Mello, making his 10,000m debut, finished in 47th with a time of 32:20, and Alistair McDonnell (35:26) beat his personal best by 45 seconds to cross the line 194th overall.

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A day later, Stephen Marks led home R&N in the Corby Five when he finished in fifth place with a time of 27:44.

The five-mile race, which is held in East Carlton and finishes in the Country Park, was the fourth event in the East Midlands Grand Prix Series and Marks went one place better than he did in the Rugby Six.

In 12th spot was Daniel Mould (28:38), followed by Daniel Williams (30:30) in 27th position.

Completing the senior team, which finished second on the night, was M45 veteran Nigel Roberts (31:03) who took sixth in his age category and 33rd overall.

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Alan Mould (34:31) secured third in the M55 and William McMurtrie (34:35) crossed the line in the same position in the M20 age group.

Meanwhile, Laurence Scott (34:43) claimed eighth in the M50 and Alex McMurtrie (35:24) finished 11th in the M45 as 
the veteran team sealed sixth place.

Two ladies took part for R&N with Helen Jones recording 38:32 for 23rd overall and fifth in the F45 while Kate Williams (39:01) was two places adrift; fourth in the over-55s.

Phelps shines for Silson at Corby

Thomas Phelps impressed for Silson Joggers last week as he took 13th place in the MS category and was 21st overall in round three of the EMGP series.

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There were lots of terrific performances in this somewhat hilly race at Corby, hence there were a number of age group 
wins.

Amy Jelley and Eleanor Rees were second and third in the F20 category, Simon Woodward took fifth place in the M40 category and, for the third consecutive race in a row, James Darcy took second place in the M50 category.

Stephanie Spencer and her son, James Spencer (JM15-17), both gained new PBs at the Buckingham parkrun on Saturday morning.

Stephanie cut 47 seconds off her PB and finished in a time of 27:13, while James knocked 50 seconds off his PB to finish in 20:00.

He was also the 19th finisher at Buckingham out of 293.

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Also at this parkrun, men’s team captain, Simon Woodward, and James Darcy were the sixth and seventh runners home respectively.

Jake Storer (JM11-14) had a marvellous run at the Banbury parkrun, finishing second in his age category and gaining a new PB of 22:45.

Paul Rose completed his 77th Marathon this weekend with his daughter, Chelsey Rose, and Silson team-mate, David Morley.

The trio had a fantastic time taking on the Farthingstone Foot Festival and completed the Marathon distance in 6:24, however they actually covered 28.2 miles and gained a finish time of 6:55.

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This very tough off-road course which included hills, fields, bridges, gates and stiles, witnessed Chelsey’s first ever Marathon.

Sunday morning’s junior Buckingham parkrun saw Liam Cowley (JM10) finish as the second runner home, while his sister, Mia Cowley (JW11-14), made her debut junior parkrun count when she finished as the second lady home (13th overall).

Meanwhile, at the Milton Keynes junior parkrun, three Silson ladies (all JW10) had a magnificient run in the sunshine.

They all finished with new PB’s and were among the first 12 runners home.

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Emily Hinton led the run home, finishing first overall in a time of 7:37, Lauren Thomas was the third lady home (10th overall) with a time of 8:55 and Amber Salkeld was the fourth lady home (12th overall), cutting nearly 10 seconds off her PB with a time of 8:57.

Silson head coach David Coates swapped running for cycling this weekend when he took on his latest cycling challenge, a 292km ride from Milan to San Remo.

He conquered the hills with ease and finished in just under 10 hours (total time including food stops and his chain coming off).

Lions and Saints display durability

The start of the Vets athletics league in Kettering heralded the worst weather seen for a league match in more than 30 years - but two teams from Rugby and Northampton were up to the challenge.

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The A team (Lions) won both the men and women’s sections, while the B team (Saints) were fourth in the men and fifth in the women standings.

Gordon Houghton, back on the track after a year off with a heart operation, started the proceedings with a win in the M70s 100m (16.4secs) amid the hail.

Further wins in the 100m came with Richard Bowers M40 (13.1secs) and John Bell M35 (12.4secs).

Bowers (57.1secs) continued the sequence in the 400m despite the wind and Mike Aldridge held off the opposition for a win in the 1500m in 4:26.

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Bell (59secs) added second in the 400m followed by third spots for Dave Cowley M60 100m, (14.9secs), Ces Moven M50 100m (13.3secs) and Gary Wallace M40 1500m (4:35).

The remaining points were picked up with Mike Devine, who came sixth in the 400m, Mark Barrowclough, fourth in the 2K walk, Dave Birch, fifth in the 2k walk, and newcomer Richard Franklin, fourth in the M60 1500m, leading to Lions winning the track scoring.

Saints were also on form with Lee Woodward second in the M40 100m (13.3secs) and third in the 400m (60.8secs).

Dave O’Leary was just shaded into second in the walk, in 11:40, and was fifth in the 100m and fourth in the 400m. Adrian White was only fractionally slower.

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M60 Dave Bunker had a busy evening. He finished fifth in 100m (17secs), fourth in the walk and seventh in the 1500m.

Completing the track were Paddy Lynch (M70 100m,21.3secs) and Brenden Moen (fifth 1500m, 5:03).

In appalling rain, Lion Ian Gidley dominated the jumps, winning the M40 triple jump with 10.28 metres and the high jump with 1.55 metres.

Kevin Murch continued the theme, winning the M35 javelin with 42.07 metres, and second in the M50 hammer (32.46 metres).

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First-timer Ashlee Kirk arrived just in time to be taught the hammer and proceeded to win the M35 with 23.64 metres.

He also guested in the high jump with 1.50 metres.

Dave Cowley collected the remaining points: second in the M60 shot (8.46 metres) and third in the M50 high jump.

Saints collected more points via Woodward, who came third in the triple jump (9.29 metres) and high jump (1.35 metres).

John Gercs gained a third in the hammer and fourth in javelin.

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The scoring was completed with 76-year-old John Love fourth in the M60 shot (6.17 metres) and fifth in the M50 hammer.

The Lionesses dominated the track, with their lowest position fourth.

In the 100m, wins came from W60 Sally Hines (16.5 secs), W70 Carol Birch (25.3 secs), debutant W40 Janelle Quinn (15.7 secs).

Second-placed finishes came from Lesley Willis in the W50 (15.9 secs) and Sam Berry in the W35 (16.1 secs).

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The 400m saw a win for Angela Copson (W60, 82.4 secs), while Willis and Berry were both fourth.

Tricia Garner and Birch were second in the two walks.

At 1500m, newcomer Zoe Shepperd claimed second (W35, 6:04), Kate Williams fourth W40 (6;16) and Angela Copson third (W50, 5:52).

Saints were not far behind, with W60 Maz Allen second in the 100m (17.6 secs) and seventh in the walk.

M60 Val Cross came second in the 400m and third in the walk.

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Three more first timers completed the track. W40 Minerva Chesser was fifth in 100m (18.2 secs) and 1500m (6:31). W40 Helen Jones was fifth in the 400m (79.6 secs) and third in the 1500m (6:16) after an excellent scrap with her team-mate in the Lions.

W50 Alison Cobb completed the ladies with sixth in the 100m (18.6 secs) and 1500m (6:32).

On the field, Allen was back in action, finishing second in the W60 long jump behind Hines, who won with 3.03 metres, sixth in the W50 shot behind Lions winner Debbie Murch (8.15 metres).

Murch also won the javelin (20.08 metres) with Allen seventh.

Quinn was third in the W40 shot.

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In the rain effected high jump, Berry was second in the W35 and Jones sixth. Hines was third in the W50.

Team scores were as follows...

Men: R&N Lions 139, Leamington119.5, Charnwood 105.5, R&N Saints 89, Kettering78, Harborough 78, Nuneaton 68, Coventry Godiva 20

Women: R&N Lions 136, Harborough 90, Leamington, 76, Nuneaton 72, R&N Saints 65, Charnwood 64, Kettering 62, Coventry Godiva 36.

Personal best for Northampton teenager Williams

Northampton’s Emily Williams continued her outstanding form in the 800m as she was one of eight Kettering Town Harriers to take part in the British Milers Club’s meeting in Milton Keynes.

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Running in the Women’s A race, U15 Williams sliced a further 1.5 seconds off her personal best to again better her own club record in a time of 2:12:23, which moved her up to third in the UK rankings.

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