Press report: Prizes at home and away for WCAC members

ABIGAIL PAWLETT pocketed a hat-trick of silver medals at the Northern Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The talented West Cheshire Athletic Club all-rounder long-jumped 5.20m, clocked 8.10 seconds in the 60m, and posted 9.12 seconds in the under 15 girls 60m hurdles final at Sheffield’s English Institute of Sport Arena.

She was joined at the event by club mate Stephanie Jones who secured a bronze medal in the under 13 girls long jump, and Jodi Bemand who achieved 4.02m for fifth position.

ELLIE ROBINSON (30th in 26:58), Lisa Davies (40th in 27:36), and Kay Hayes (72nd in 31:41), combined to ensure West Cheshire AC’s ladies finished fourth in Division Two of the North Wales Cross Country League after the final round held at The Marches School, Oswestry.

Dave Alexander posted 39:20 for 20th spot in the men’s race, ahead of West Cheshire AC team mates Richard Hayes (40th in 41:51), Andrew Clague (54th in 43:09), John Parlevliet (69th in 44:14), Andy Carter (86th in 45:25), Tony Woodall (91st in 45:46), and Peter Smith (138th in 55:36).

SISTERS Katie and Issy Clarke starred for Chester at Winsford in the Cheshire Schools Cross Country Championships.

Katie finished second in the senior girls event ahead of fourth-placed Martha Owen, while Issy rounded the intermediate girls race in fourth position, ahead of Beth McMahon (20th), Alice Bourne (22nd) and Ailsa Black (23rd), while Niyah Callister was Ellesmere Port and Neston’s lone finisher in 42nd spot.

Matthew Willis won the senior boys race and was backed up by Chester team mates Ethan Greenland (fifth), Greg Jones (14th), and Adam Carlile (15th).

Chester’s Jamie Richardson finished fourth in the minor boys race, ahead of Henry Robinson (eighth), Kit Baker (10th), and Jack Lally (20th), while Andrew Clarke (36th), Michael Wood (38th), and Matthew Adderton (62nd) represented Ellesmere Port and Neston.

Dave Dentith was seventh home for Chester in the intermediate boys race, ahead of Sion Roberts (ninth), Tristan McFarlane (13th), and Jac Goodall (14th), while Jack Dood (21st), Jacob Cotton (25th), Oliver Costello (47th) and Charlie Douglas (48th) represented Ellesmere Port and Neston.

Jodi Bemand (16th) was first home for Chester in the minor girls race, ahead of Iyla Gallagher (17th), Yasmine Fenwick (19th), and Katherine Cornall (26th), while Hannah McCloney (25th) was first home for Ellesmere Port and Neston, backed up by Grace Scott (39th), and Holly Seiborne (58th).

Imogen Owen (fifth), and Heather Black ( sixth) were Chester’s only finishers in the junior girls race, ahead of Ellesmere Port and Neston’s Maysie Linegar (38th), Zoe McDonald (43rd), Katie May Chapman (44th), and Ceris Gaffney (50th).

Will Ashfield secured fifth spot for Chester in the junior boys race, ahead of Matthew Douglas (16th), James Lain (17th), and Joseph Hancock (21st), while Liam Farrell (35th) and Aaron Scott (44th) combined for Ellesmere Port and Neston.

SOPHIE PERCIVAL and George Hyde won the women’s and men’s cups at West Cheshire AC’s annual presentation evening held at the Whitby Sports Club, Ellesmere Port.

Percival won the Welsh International Under 20 javelin title in Cardiff during her first-ever appearance for England in July and she ended the year ranked fifth in the UK for her age in the javelin.

Hyde retained the men’s cup after a series of impressive performances during 2016 which included shot put victories at the English Schools, Cheshire, Northern, and England Athletics Championships.

Mike Lamb was presented with a Services to West Cheshire AC award, while Lauren Jones won the Wright Trophy, and Katie Clarke’s middle distance exploits merited the Chris Goodwin Memorial Cup.

Other award winners included Ruby Wisbey, Carys Roberts, Dan Willetts, Harley Shakespeare-Wetton, Jodi Bemand, Lucia Pyne, Uzezi Onomerike, Isaac Tait, Evie Tipping, Abigail Pawlett, Ewan Bradley, Jacob Simmonds, Maisie Tipping, Lauren Dimbylow, Ethan Milligan, Dave Dentith, Danielle Erskine, James McMahon, Alan Littler, Pam Ackroyd, and Dave Bish.

Ellie Robinson, Anest Muller and Kay Hayes finished first, second and third respectively in the club’s Endurance Women’s Running Cup Competition, while Mark Davies, Andy Carter, and Andrew Clague finished first, second and third respectively in the men’s competition.

FIXTURES this weekend include the third round of the Essar West Cheshire Athletic Club Schools Cross Country Race Series at Ellesmere Port Sports Village, on Saturday (10am start first race).

ENTRIES are now being accepted for the Essar Chester Spring Five Miles Road Race being organised by West Cheshire AC on Wednesday, April 12. Further details can be found at: www.westcheshireac.co.uk

The April 12 fixture is part of the Cheshire Grand Prix Road Race Series which also includes the Mid Cheshire 5k on Friday, April 28; the Alderley By-Pass Race on Sunday, July 2; The Pie & Peas Five Miles Race on Wednesday, August 2; The Essar Guilden Sutton Six 10k Race on Sunday, September 17; the Congleton Half Marathon on Sunday, October 1; and the Farndon 10k on Sunday, October 15.