A RECORD points total for Rugby & Northampton Athletics Club saw them claim a fifth consecutive West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League (WMYACCL) title in style after the competition reached its conclusion in Birmingham last weekend.
Over 200 athletes helped R&N record an impressive points tally of 33,683, which was almost 3,000 clear of second-placed Wolverhampton & Bilston.
They grabbed gold in four of the team categories overall, triumphing in the boys’ under-11 and under-15 categories, the under-13 girls’ and also the under-17 women’s event. The under-11 and under-15 girls took team silver for the series, as did the under-13 boys.
There were plenty of individual honours too, with Adam Caulfield Adam Searle receiving gold medals in their respective events. Molly Williams took silver, which was an achievement matched by Josh Lay and Ella Bromley. Kirsty Goddard joined Bromley on the podium with bronze to round off a phenomenal series performance for the club.
R&N had all but sealed the title prior to Sunday’s last leg, but that did not stop them leading the way once more as they stormed to four team victories at Perry Park.
Adam Searle was the first athlete home, completing the course in ten minutes and 59 seconds, with R&N dominating the under-15 event. Joshua Lay was next over the line eight seconds later, while Joe Musgrove (11.20) and Joshua Thorman (12.01) helped the team cruise to victory.
In the under-13 category, Adam Caulfield led the way by finishing second in a time of 9.01, while Mac Ryder impressed in his first run of the season by finishing sixth (9.23), as the team edged out Birchfield Harriers by eight points.
The under-13 girls were equally impressive on their way to team honours, with three top-10 finishes securing victory. Molly Williams grabbed the win after a run of 10.07, with third-placed Georgina Woodward (10.21) and Abi Pearce (10.41), in ninth, securing victory.
R&N boasted four of the top-six athletes on their way to success in the under-17 women’s race as Ella Bromley (16.43), Rebecca Leadbeater (16.47), Emma Bond (16.56) and Kirsty Goddard (17.06) did enough to beat Birchfield to first place.
Both under-11 teams finished second and the under-15 girls were also runners-up, falling just four points short of Halesowen A&CC.
Elsewhere at the weekend, 45 R&N athletes competed at the Midlands Indoor Championships in Birmingham where the medal haul continued.
Eight golds were dished out amongst the club at the National Indoor Arena. Luke Townsend triumphed in the senior men’s 60-metre hurdles, while Molly Barnett (8.97) set a personal-best in the under-20 women’s event over the same distance.
Adam Wright took gold in the under-20 800 metres, Poppy Carmichael (2:23.66) did the same in the under-15 girls, while Ellena Ruddock produced a dominant display to take 200-metre gold in 25.30.
There was success in the field events too with Eleanor Broome taking her place on top of the podium in the under-17 women’s long jump, and Kiona McLennon took shot put gold in the same age group.
And Cage Boons set a PB on his way to gold in the under-20 men’s triple jump, springing 14.62m to complete the gold rush.
