Corby AC junior athletes win medals at cross country championships
THE junior athletics team from Corby AC won four podium places at the 98th edition of the Leicestershire & Rutland Athletics Association Cross Country Championships.
The Northamptonshire club fielded a determined side to race over separate distances in four different age groups for the boys and girls in the Under-11, 13, 15 and 17 categories at the event at Burbage Common in Hinckley.
It was typical tough cross-country event with muddy patches and frozen ice on the grass course which challenged all the competitors including the seniors and masters’ racers.
The Corby team had a superb performance from Barney Burman who was equal to the task winning a gold medal in the Under-13 boys 3k race with a time in 14:17.
He won the race by a clear 14 seconds outkicking his challengers Tobby Bronnert of Owls Leicester AC and Finley Melebourne of Charnwood AC who finished second and third respectively.
Tobby finished in 14:31 and Finley close behind in 14:32.
Beth Griffiths was the second-best performer of the club getting a silver in the Under-13 girls 3km race with a time of 15:26.
She lost the encounter to Matilda Smith of Owls Leicester AC who gold in 15:17.
Beth had strong backing from club-mate Freya Ives who settled for a creditable bronze in 15:45 in the same race.
Aubrey Elmer competed in the Under-15 boys 4k race taking the bronzein a time of 16:04. Olly Lockton of Charnwood AC won the race in 15:17, ahead of team-mate Oliver Stenhouse in 16:03.
Corby juniors had other notable top 10 finishes. Rory Falconer placed fifth in the Under-11 boys 1.8k race in 7:31. Barney’s sister - Gemma Burman came sixth in the Under-17 girls 5km race in 42:10, while Berth’s brother William Griffiths came sixth in a tough Under-17 boys 6km race in 27:12.
William is currently one of the club's rising star runner.
Neil Griffiths who managed the team was impressed by the overall performances of the juniors who were not deterred by the tough winter conditions on a chilly day.
The women’s senior elite 8k cross country event was convincingly won by the celebrated 2014 European cross country champion Gemma Steel of Charnwood AC who got her name engraved on the trophy for a record five times.
Steel clocked 31:17 to defeat professional triathlete Olivia Mathias of Newark AC who recorded 31:29 and Kate Matthews of Thames Hare & Hounds in 33:34.
Dan Hallam of Wreak & Soar Valley AC comfortable won the men’s 10k race in 36:19. He got the better of his compatriot Daniel Van Aardt who finished second in 37:09 and third placed Harry Lupton of Charnwood AC in 37:23.