Deserved recognition for club and Dave

WEST CHESHIRE AC was crowned North West Regional Athletics Club of the Year on Monday night.

The Ellesmere Port Sports Village-based outfit was recognised for its work as a voluntary organisation throughout the year for the community.

Club track and field officer, Dennis Wall, road race secretary Andrew Carter, and treasurer Bob Benson received a plaque and an award from England Athletics officials at the event held at Bolton Golf Club.

Throws coach David McKay was also presented with the North West Athletics Regional Coach of the Year Award and he will now join representatives from West Cheshire AC at the England Athletics Club of the Year Awards ceremony next month in Birmingham.

WEST CHESHIRE Athletic Club scored a double team triumph at the Essar Guilden Sutton Six 10k Road Race.

The host club won both the men`s and women`s team prizes at the annual race staged around the country lanes of the village.

Robert Little was West Cheshire`s first man home, finishing 10th in 36 minutes 25 seconds, supported by Mark Davies (13th in 36:57), Graham Wells (18th in 37:32), and Andrew Clague (19th in 37:38).

Keely Smith headed the winning West Cheshire women`s team, finishing 44th overall in 42:58, ahead of Clare Mallon (75th in 49:42), and Eleanor Foreman (122nd in 67:14).

Tristan McFarlane (41:20) and Patrick Tait (42:11) finished first and second respectively in the under 20 junior age group.

And other West Cheshire finishers included Ian Gloyne-Phillips (21st in 38:08), Neil Hershaw (23rd in 38:45), Luke Ellis (30th in 40:40), Christopher White (32nd in 40:50), Julian Tegg (52nd in 44:22), Richard Batterham (67th in 47:36), and John Pughe (77th in 49:53).

Nick Jones from Warrington AC won the men`s title in 33:12, ahead of Wirral`s William Woodcock (33:53) and Vale Royal`s Stuart Doyle (33:58) who were second and third respectively.

Sarah Wilson from South Cheshire won the women`s title in 40:59, ahead of Vale Royal`s Helen Whitby who was runner-up in 41:10, and West Cheshire`s Keeley Smith who was third.

ABI PAWLETT posted two new personal bests at the English Schools Combined Events Championships.

The West Cheshire all-rounder represented Cheshire at Exeter and clocked 11.48 seconds in her sprint hurdles race and rounded the 800m in a new personal best of two minutes 36.7 seconds.

Pawlett also hit 9.92m in the shot put, cleared 1.48m in the high jump, and long jumped 4.48m to post 2,899 points and finish 17th out of 44 girls.

Her points total places her second on the under 15 girls list of West Cheshire club records behind England international Olivia Montez Brown.

Pawlett was joined in Exeter by West Cheshire members Will Rattray and James McMahon.

Rattray posted 3,041 points in the intermediate boys octathlon with 4.68m in the long jump, 31.20m in the discus, 25.94m in the javelin, 57.88 seconds in the 400m, 17.28 seconds in the 100m hurdles, 1.31m in the high jump, 7.97m in the shot, and 5:28.27 in the 1500m.

McMahon clocked 11.5 seconds in his senior boys decathlon 100m, 6.32m in the long jump, 10.90m in the shot, 1-73m in the high jump, 53.38 seconds in the 400m, 15.69 seconds in the 110m hurdles, 30.35m in the discus, 3-40m in the pole vault, but failed to start the 1500m.

FIXTURES this weekend include the Northern Athletics Road Relay Championships at Sportcity, Manchester, on Sunday, and the Macclesfield Half-marathon on the same day.

The final round of the Wirral Multi Terrain League takes place on Tuesday at Arrowe Park, Birkenhead (6.30pm start).