Wests Go East to Wakefield

WEST CHESHIRE Athletic Club produced a solid start to life in the top flight.

The Ellesmere Port Sports Village-based senior men`s and women`s squad finished fourth in their first ever North of England Track and Field League Division One appearance.

Sophie Percival, Ethan Milligan, and Dave McKay all celebrated individual victories at the fixture staged in blistering hot conditions at Wakefield.

Percival, a student at the University of Chester, launched the javelin to a winning mark of 39.94m and hit a new shot put personal best of 11.31m alongside B winner Kelly Baker (10.30m).

Milligan elevated himself to a winning clearance of 1-90m in the high jump, and McKay threw the javelin to a winning distance of 54.33m.

Andrew Clague won the B 3,000m steeplechase in a time of 11 minutes 23.9 seconds and provided back-up for Tom Booth who finished third overall in 10:56.5.

Booth also clocked 17:58.2 in the 5000m alongside Clague who clocked 18:17.1, and Booth added important points from the pole vault (2.40m), 400m hurdles (71.6) and B 110m hurdles (22.4).

Zac Barnsley sprinted to times of 11.9 and 25.9 seconds in the 100m and 200m alongside James McMahon in the B 100m (11.9) and Liam Davoren in the B 200m (25.4).

Alex Kearns clocked 54.5 in the 400m alongside Alan Littler who posted 57.6 in the B race.

Richard Farley rounded the 800m in 2:02.7 and the B 1500m in 4:56.4), while Ethan Greenland clocked a new personal 800m best of 2:14.0 in the B race, and posted 4:39.2 in the 1500m.

McKay, who secured good points from the 110m hurdles, hammer, discus, triple jump and shot, was supported by Richard Stocker who was second in the B shot (10.93m), third in the discus (36.91m), and third in the B hammer (32.31m).

McMahon (6.39m) and Milligan (5.63m) combined in the men`s long jump, and Milligan triple-jumped 11.59m.

Alice McMahon headlined in the short sprints, with times of 12.8 and 26.0 alongside Shona Valentine (13.3) and Georgia Barlow (27.0), before Valentine (61.8) and Maisie Tipping (65.1) teamed up in the 400m.

Katie Clarke posted a new 3000m personal best of 10:51.8, alongside Ellie Robinson (12:22.5), who also rounded the 800m in a personal best 2:35.0. Lisa Davies earned valuable points in running times of 2:48.2 in the 800m and 5:48.5 in the 1500m.

Alice Jennings clocked 70.1 in the 400m hurdles alongside B winner Danielle Erskine (76.2), and the duo combined in the 100m hurdles with times of 17.3 and 17.8 respectively, as well as in the long jump with Erskine nailing 4.97m and Jennings 4.44m, and in the triple jump with Erskine hitting 9.46m, and Jennings managing 9.23m.

Jennings cleared 1.55m in the high jump alongside Tipping (1.40m), while Debra Erskine hit 24.31m in the hammer alongside Percival (21.19m) who also achieved 27.07m in the discus.

McMahon, Valentine, Barlow and Danielle Erskine then teamed up for a winning time of 50.1 in the 4x100m relay.

MATCH RESULT: 1 City of Sheffield 353 points; 2 Preston 341.5; 3 Wakefield 335.5; 4 West Cheshire 306; 5 Kingston Upton Hull 297; 6 Blackburn 227.

MARK DAVIES of West Cheshire won the Delamere 5k parkrun in a new personal best time of 18:31, ahead of clubmates Alex Staniforth (fifth in 19:17), Rory Willson (13th in 20:05), Tamsin O\’Keefe (second lady in 21:53), Cara Henshall (fourth lady in a new pb of 22:52), Lily Moorhouse (22nd lady in 27:41), Ellie Finn (44th lady in 29:13), and Leon Moorhouse (298th in 39:01).

Vince Hodges (12th in 22:11) was West Cheshire\’s first finisher at the Ellesmere Port 5k ParkRun, ahead of Harvey Tegg (14th in 22:14), Liam Farrell (15th in 22:15), Louis Tegg (28th in 23:57), Tony Kennedy (30th in 24:04), Rosemary Rogers (fifth lady in 25:14), and Dave Hough (47th in 27:10).

ALEX STANIFORTH will provide an illustrated talk and book signing this Friday about his expeditions to Mount Everest.

The Chester-born adventurer will present the gripping true story of his journey, from his hometown to the top of the world – Mount Everest.

The long distance runner, aged 20, faced obstacles through childhood such as epilepsy, stammering, mental health problems and bullying, to eventually become part of the two biggest disasters in Everest history.

Both attempts to reach the summit ended in tragedy with the 2014 avalanche, and last year, where he narrowly survived the avalanche triggered by the Nepal earthquake.

His debut book ICEFALL, endorsed by Bear Grylls, tells an inspirational account of overcoming adversity and this is your chance to hear the experiences first-hand and get a signed copy.

The talk and book signing, being hosted by West Cheshire Athletic Club, will take place at Cheshire County Sports Club, Plas Newton Lane, Upton By Chester, CH2 1PR, this Friday, (May 13), with doors opening at 6.30pm, the talk starting at 6.45pm, and the event scheduled to finish at 8.30pm.

The cost of the event is £5 (inclusive of hot drinks and refreshments), which is payable on the door.

ENTRIES are being taken this Saturday and Sunday at the Cheshire County AA Track and Field Championships being held at Macclesfield. Further details can be obtained online at: www.cheshireaa.com

FIXTURES this weekend include the Chester Half Marathon on Sunday (9am start).