ATHLETICS: OVER a thousand clubs took part the packed English Cross Country Association (ECCA) National Relay where Rugby & Northampton Athletics Club (R&N) performed well across the ten age groups.
Many of the country’s elite long distance runners battled it out for glory at Berry Hill Park in Mansfield on Sunday and it was the Under-13 boys team who led the way for Rugby after finishing 11th.
Louis Buttrick was fastest in the team after finishing the 6km track in seven minutes and 14.55 seconds, while also running were Aiden O’Brien (7:30.85) and Noah Bennett (7:20.55).
The Under 13 Boys Team B finished in 54th thanks to Michael Corbett (7:48.50), Benjamin Carroll (8:06.15) and Finlay Heard (8:19.20).
The U13 Girls highest finish was a fine 30th place for Team A which comprised Elspeth Unitt (8:25.0), Olivia Williams (8:18.40) and Claudia Searle (8:11.10).
Seventeen positions back, in 47th, were the U13 Girls Team B with strong runs from Zoe Gardner (8:17.15), Sophia Hill (8:33.30) and Mia Clark (8:48.30).
Adam Caulfield (6:34.05) was the fastest R&N Under-15 Boy on the course, and he was supported by Ben Hope (6:47.45) and Cian Hutton (7:19.15) as Team A finished 15th, with Team B finishing 55th.
Rugby were led in the Under-15 Girls race by Abi Pearce (7:59.70), who was joined in Team A by Holly Walker (8:06.50) and Neve Satchwell (8:27.70) as the side finished 51st.
Rebecca Edwards (8:15.35), India Phipps (8:51.65) and Isabelle Ripon (8:40.15) lifted the Under-15 Team B into 72nd place.
R&N’s sole team in the Under-17 Women’s race was made up of Hollie Moore (10:28.40), Olivia Sheehan (10:55.65) and Charis Hayes (11:12.00), who performed well over the seven-and-a-half kilometres for 56th.
Matthew Chronicle (9:54.95) led the Under-17 Men Team A into 30th place across the 9km course, and he was joined by Rhys James (10:00.50) and Joe Musgrove (10:00.75). Team B crossed the line in 63rd thanks to runs from James Wizard (10:29.80), Will McMurtrie (11:21.25) and Finn Hutton (10:14.00).
The club’s Junior Men’s involvement over the 9km course was led by a 21st-place finish for Team A – Adam Wright (9:12.10), Ben Musgrove (9:31.10) and Jack Bond (9:23.75) – while the Junior Women’s team which included Emma Bond (9:18:15), Rebecca Leadbeater (9:55.70) and Kirsty Goddard (10:51.05) finished 22nd in their respective 7.5km competition.
Also on the track were the Junior Men’s Team B and Team C, who finished just three places apart. Team B clinched 52nd spot with Hayden Arnall (9:55.05) going below the 10-minute mark, and in 55th place were Team C.
The Senior Women’s Team A completed the competition in 49th with performances from Tamara Hardman (12:06.0), Melanie Wood (11:07.90) and Zoe Shepherd (12:51.55). Team B, in 75th, was made up of Tilly Lea (14:02.70), Jo Pulsford (11:48.05) and Minerva Chesser (14:28.55).
It was also a magnificent weekend in Yorkshire for Elisha De Mello as he competed in the Age UK Leeds Abbey Dash 10k Road Race. De Mello completed the race, which was also the England 10k Championship, in 37th amongst the 8,000 runners, with a personal-best time of 31.12.
Elisha was joined in the race by Ben Musgrove who also set a personal best time, 34:35, on his way to finishing 170th.
