Press report: Strong Start in York

WEST CHESHIRE Athletic Club started strongly in their bid to consolidate a place in Division One of the North of England Track and Field League.

The Chester and Ellesmere Port outfit secured second position at the opening round of the six-club contest at York and will be aiming to strengthen a foothold when hosting the next round at Ellesmere Port on June 4.

Stephanie Owens, Sophie Percival and Debra Erskine powered their way to important points in the throwing events, while Alice McMahon, Laura Turley and Georgia Barlow combined in the short sprints.

Danielle Erskine, Alice Jennings, and Maisie Tipping teamed up in the hurdles, while Beth McMahon, Katie Clarke, Ellie Robinson, and Lisa Davies combined in the distance races.

World and European Masters champion Andrew Parker made his debut for West Cheshire in the men’s sprints alongside Alan Littler, Alex Kearns, Liam Davoren, Jacob Simmonds, Zac Barnsley, and Josh Ford.

Dave McKay and Richard Stocker teamed up in the throwing events, while Ewan Bradley catapulted himself to a 3.10m clearance in the pole vault, and Andy Carter and Andrew Clague covered both the 5,000m and 3,000m steeplechase.

Sam Rimmer appeared in both hurdles races, while Richard Farley and Joseph Morrison teamed up in both the 800m and 1500m for valuable points.

MATCH RESULT: 1 Wakefield 385 points; 2 West Cheshire 368; 3 York 363; 4 Wigan 341; 5 City of Sheffield 316; 6 Preston 288.

EMMA HOWE, Isla Shillington and Sion Roberts starred for West Cheshire AC who capitalised on home advantage at the opening round of the Cheshire Track and Field League.

The trio all produced impressive performances to earn their club success at the Ellesmere Port Sports Village Track in the first of four rounds.

Howe secured victory in the under 17 womens javelin with a throw of 47.19m, while Shillington spun the under 13 girls discus to a winning mark of 24m, and Roberts rounded the under 17 mens 3,000m in a time of 10:09.6.

Howe was supported in her age group by Issy Clarke who won the 1500m in a time of 5:02.5, and by sprinters Harriet Alexander, and sisters Chloe and Laura Mount. Shillington was backed up in the discus by club mate and B winner Lara Battersby (15.44m), Imogen Pughe, Stephanie Jones, Fatoumatta Bojang, and Carys Roberts. And Sion Roberts was joined in the under 17 age group by Josh Ford, Jacob Simmonds, Sam Paton, Jake Gibson, 800m winner Dave Dentith, Daniel Pagan, Luke Carlile, Paul Morrison, and high jump (1.61m) and javelin (32.81m) winner Will Scott.

Ethan Greenland rounded the 3,000m in 9:21.8, ahead of Mark Davies, Greg Jones, Rory Willson, Bob Benson, Ellie Robinson and Clare Mallon, while Zac Barnsley, Jack Jones and Oliver James combined in the 100m.

Alan Littler (1-71m) and Ethan Milligan (1-65m) produced a double success in the high jump, while Joseph Morrison (28.77m) and Littler (25.26m) won in the javelin, and Morrison rounded the 800m in a winning time of 2:05.0 ahead of Greenland (2:11.9) and Littler (2:17.3).

Laura Turler clocked a winning time of 13.1 seconds in the women’s 100m, while Danielle Erskine won the triple jump (9.67m), and Georgina Moulton hit 12.64m in the javelin.

Anna Crayston, Ceris Gaffney, Lauren Jones, Sophie Cribb, Lucia Pyne, and Abigail Cartwright teamed up for the under 15 girls, while Matthew Webb, discus winner Adam Howe (31.60m), Nathan Partington, Dylan Bugg, Matthew Douglass, Isaac Tait, Edward Woodhead, Liam Farrell, Charlie Potts, George Farrell, Aaron Scott, Charlie Clarke, Michael Maxwell and Ivor Smith combined for the under 15 boys.

Uzezi Onomerike, Ben Mustafa, Fergus Garland, Harley Shakespeare-Wetton, Henry Robinson, Charlie McMullan, Leo Green, Dan Willetts, and Louis Tegg teamed up for the under 13 boys.

Maddi Mercer, Lara Fields, Jessica Lark, Alexa Byrne, Macy Brett, Eleanor Williams, Harriet Wheeler, and Ella Ogley teamed up for the under 11 girls, while Milo Halliday, Matthew Jones, Joseph Ireland, Murphy Smyth, Reece Munro, Luke Parker, George Huyton, and Tom Shillington scored valuable points for the under 11 boys squad.

MATCH RESULTS
Men and Women Combined: 1 West Cheshire 593 points; 2 Crewe & Nantwich 585; 3 Deeside 396; 4 Menai 353; 5 Colwyn Bay 333; 6 Halton & Frodsham 142; 7 Maldwyn 120. Men: 1 West Cheshire 325; 2 Crewe & Nantwich 304; 3 Deeside 226; 4 Menai 167; 5 Colwyn Bay 132; 6 Halton & Frodsham 88; 7 Maldwyn 58.

Women: 1 Crewe & Nantwich 281; 2 West Cheshire 268; 3 Colwyn Bay 201; 4 Menai 186; 5 Deeside 170; 6 Maldwyn 62; 7 Halton & Frodsham 54.

Under 11s: 1 Crewe & Nantwich 148; 2 West Cheshire 142; 3 Deeside 82; 4 Colwyn Bay 71; 5 Halton & Frodsham 59; 6 Menai 40.

FIXTURES this weekend include the Cheshire County Track and Field Championships on Saturday and Sunday at Warrington’s Victoria Park Arena (10.30am start on both days).