Press Report: Top Performances Indoors

RUBY BILLINGTON and Mia Johnson produced podium performances at Sheffield in the Northern Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club pair impressed at the English Institute of Sport Arena at the weekend and both returned home with bronze medals.

Ruby cleared 1-50m for third spot in the under 15 girls high jump, while Mia Johnson secured third position with a time of 26.10 seconds in her under 15 girls 200m final after slicing 100th of a second off the club age group record with a time of 26.08 seconds in her semi-final.

Maya Jennings posted 8.37 seconds for eighth place in her under 15 girls 60m final and reached the 200m semi-finals alongside Beth Manson.

Ryan Claessen rounded the under 15 boys 800m final in a time of 2:25.72 for seventh spot.

Mollie Garratt was fourth in the under 13 girls long jump final with a new personal best of 4.14m and was fifth in her 60m final. 

Aiden Hilton reached the under 15 boys 60m semi-final, and Amelia Snowden represented West Cheshire AC in the under 13 girls 200m and long jump.

NIA MANSON won the year seven girls race at the Cheshire Schools Cross Country Championships held at Knights Grabnge, Winsford, on Saturday.

Amelia Snowden (sixth), Sophie Baker (ninth) and Rose Sheppard (10th) also impressed to earn places in the Cheshire team to face Merseyside at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Wednesday, March 20.

Freddie Lesley (second), Sam Scott (sixth), Sidney Carr (seventh), and Heath Kelly (eighth) secured their places in the Cheshire year seven boys team against Merseyside.

Emilia Pyper (second), Harriet Beattie (sixth), Eleanor Wheeler (eighth), Sophie Mulcaster (13th), Emily Thompson (15th), and Millie Rees (16th) all impressed in the junior girls race.

Tom Rimmer (10th), Joshua Evans (15th), Alex Barrington-Crow (18th), Dylan Jervis (19th), Dylan Gledhill (20th), and Max Henderson (22nd) all rounded the junior boys race.

Bailey Hughes (fourth), Nancy Farmer (seventh), Jessica O’Neill (16th), Hayley Holland (19th), Esme Slinn (20th), and Alba March (21st) completed the intermediate girls race.

Alex McNab (fourth), Lewis Morris (ninth), Dan Walker (10th), Ben Pold (12th), Rhys Owen (14th), James Pritchard (17th), Noah Smipson (24th), and Ben Newall (26th) rounded the intermediate boys race.

Carys Manson (eighth) and Ava Williams (ninth) completed the senior girls race, and Matthew Jones (eighth), Ellis Hancock (10th), and Matthew McCreadie (12th) rounded the senior boys race.

WULLIE McGARRELL won his over-55 age group category and smashed his age group club record time at the Alsager 5 Miles Road Race.

Wullie clocked 29 minutes 18 seconds to better a record that had been held by Neil Hershaw since June 2019, and he was joined at the event by Rob Little who was 12th in his over-45 age group with a time of 29:56.

FIXTURES this weekend include the Manchester Cross Country League at Kenworthy Woods, on Saturday, while the North Wales Cross Country League takes place on Saturday at Oswestry, and the England Athletics Under 15s, Under 17s and Under 20s Indoor Track and Field Championships at Sheffield take place on Sunday.

WEST CHESHIRE AC has a busy schedule of fixtures lined up for the year ahead.

The Ellesmere Port Sports Village-based outfit will host two pre-season open track and field meetings, as well as host the Cheshire County Schools Track and Field Championships, and the English Schools Track and Field Cup Regional A and B Finals.

The Cheshire Schools Championships take place on Saturday, June 8, while the English Schools Track and Field Cup Regional B Final will be held on Wednesday, June 5.

West Cheshire AC will compete in the Under 13/Under 15 Youth Development League West Premier Division at Trafford on Saturday, April 20; at Liverpool on Sunday, May 19; at Preston on Sunday, June 23; and at Bebington Oval on Saturday, July 20.

And the Club will participate in the Under 17/Under 20 Youth Development Track and Field League North West Division One at Blackpool on Sunday, April 28; at Leigh on Sunday, May 26; and at Wigan on Sunday, June 30.

The Club’s Northern Track and Field League squad will take part in West Premier Division fixtures at Blackburn on Saturday, May 18; at Litherland on Saturday, June 15; at Bury on Sunday, July 14; and at Ellesmere Port on Saturday, August 17.

West Cheshire AC will host the opening round of the Cheshire Track and Field League on Saturday, April 27, and other fixtures will be held on Sunday, June 2; Sunday, July 21; and Sunday, August 25.

West Cheshire AC will also host their annual Secondary Schools Track and Field Cup match on Wednesday, May 1; and the annual Cheshire v Merseyside Year 7 Schools Track and Field fixture in July.

ENTRIES are open for the Manchester Indoor Open Track and Field Winter Series being held on Sundays, February 18, and March 10. More information at this link: https://saleharriersmanchester.com/index.php/events-fixtures/winter-indoor-series

THE Cheshire AA Road Race Grand Prix fixtures have been announced for 2024: High Legh 10k on March 17; Chester Spring 5 Miler on April 10; Christleton 5k in Mid May; Dunham Massey Park Run on May 25; Warrington Park Run on July 20; Sandbach 10k on August 18; and Crewe Park Run on September 14.

FURTHER details about West Cheshire Athletic Club can be found at: www.westcheshireac.co.uk