Press Report: WCAC Dig Deep in Seaside Decider

WEST CHESHIRE Athletic Club’s teenagers are celebrating promotion.

The Ellesmere Port Sports Village-based outfit’s under 17 and under 20 Youth Development League squad secured a top-two finish in the final round of their North West Two Division fixture at Blackpool’s Stanley Park.

Ewan Bradley catapulted himself to a new club record pole vault clearance of 4.31m for success alongside B winner Jac Goodall (2.30m), and Bradley completed a hat-trick of victories with 6.01m in the long jump and 15.3 seconds in the 110m hurdles, while Goodall also won the 2,000m steeplechase (7:50), and B javelin (31.67m).

The pair were supported by George Hyde who won the shot put with 16.48m alongside B winner Will Scott (10.10m) who won the high jump (1-71m).

Daniel Pagan, Kyran Croft Llich, Josh Ford, Paul Morrison, and Rory Willson also provided back up in the under 20 men’s events.

Emma Howe launched the under 20 women’s javelin to a winning mark of 44.55m and secured a winning put of 9.24m in the shot put, while Beth McMahon won the 400m in 78.8 seconds.

Matthew Webb (53.5) and Ben Rutherford (57.7) teamed up for a double success story in the under 17 men’s 400m, and were then joined by Fraser Campbell and Matthew Douglass for a 4x400m victory in 3:51.0.

Michael Maxwell won the B high jump (1-65m) and Matthew Bailey won the B 100m hurdles in 16.8 seconds, supported in the under 17 age group by George Mann, Adam Howe, and Charlie Hyde.

Emma Ashcroft, Ceris Gaffney, Abigail Cartwright, Georgia Broomfield, Lucia Pyne, and Francesca Pughe combined for precious points in the under 17 women’s age group.

LEAGUE STANDINGS (after the final round): 1 Stockport 21 points; 2 West Cheshire 20; 3 Leigh 18; 4 Southport Waterloo 15; 5 Blackpool Wyre and Fylde 14; 6 M60 Nomads 10; 7 Lancaster and Morecambe 7; 8 Border 3.

SARA PEARSON and Maddi Mercer were record breakers at the Young Athletes Quadrathlon Competition held at Manchester.

The West Cheshire duo finished first and third respectively at SportCity alongside under 13 club mates Emily Owen, Sophie Haslam, Macy Brett, and Aimee Phillips.

Pearson hit a new shot put competition and club record of 9.61m on her way to winning the title with 260 points which also featured 13.30 seconds in the 100m, 4.59m in the long jump and 2:59.01 in the 800m.

And Mercer achieved a new competition record of 4.78m in the long jump on her way to third spot with 246 points which also included a club record 13.05 seconds in the 100m, 7.51m in the shot put, and 2:52.56 in the 800m.

Ruby Wisbey long jumped 5.04m, clocked 13.32 seconds for 100m, hit 7.19m in the shot put, and rounded 800m in 2:56.18 for ninth spot in the under 15 girls competition with 255 points, and Ruby Phillips clocked 1:54.19 in the 600m on her way to 222 points and 15th place in the under 11 girls competition. 

WEST CHESHIRE was represented by 17 members at the latest round of the club’s off road league series at Wepre parkrun.

Alex Duffey moved into second place overall in the league standings behind Ellie Robinson, with Keely Smith, Eloise Eccles and Debra Bemand all increasing their scores, and Cathryn Woodall, Angela Tegg and Kay Hayes all getting off the mark in the league.

Chris Palmer, Tony Woodall and Richard Hayes pulled clear in the men’s top three, with Steve Fernyhough, Darren Shillington, Peter Smith and Mark Duffey all adding to their overall totals.

The next round is the Langley Fete Race on Sunday, July 7.

CLARE MALLON and Cathryn Woodall were third lady and third over 50 veteran respectively at the Tilston 10k Road Race.

CATH McGRATH swapped her starting pistol for spikes, and achieved club age group records in the long jump, shot put, discus and javelin in last week’s Northern Masters Championships at Bury.

JOSEPH MORRISON clocked a winning time of 17:01 at the latest Wirral Seaside 5k Race at Leasowe, ahead of brother Paul in 17:45, Tony Woodall (19:34), Stuart Hague (21:53), Jodi Bemand (22:04), Ian Ackroyd (22:10), Clare Mallon (23:22), Debra Bemand (23:31), Georgina Duffey (23:59), Pam Ackroyd (24:05), Alex Duffey (26:34), and Mark Duffey (28:29).

FIXTURES this weekend include the second round of the Cheshire Track and Field League at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Saturday (11.45am start).