Press Report: Bronze for Emma in World’s Relay

EMMA HOLMES has pocketed a bronze medal at the World Under 20 Track and Field Championships.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club teenager represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the 4x400m relay during the prestigious fixture held in Lima, Peru.

“We knew we could fight for a medal and we went out there and did it,” said Emma. “Next year we’ve got Europeans, but for now, rest and recover. It’s been a long season.”

Emma, who has won a scholarship at Memphis University, Tennessee, in America, posted 53.1 seconds for her second leg alongside Charlotte Henrich (53.8), Kara DaCosta (52.6) and Rebecca Grieve (53.1) to clock 3:32.80, just two seconds shy of the National record.

Emma, who is coached by Victor Oyesola, had helped Great Britain and Northern Ireland progress to Saturday’s final as she played a key role in the 4x400m team’s 3:36.69 performance in the qualifying round.

Emma clocked 53.27 seconds for the second leg and teamed up with Jess Astill (56.06), Nandy Kihuyu (54.50), and Rebecca Grieve (52.86), to power the British quartet to a place in the final.

Emma said: “I just did my job, get out, get it to Nandy safely and let the girls do what they were going to do.

“Running with the best fields in the world, the atmosphere, just being in this place is an incredible opportunity.”

SEVERAL West Cheshire AC members are celebrating club record performances.

Ellie Robinson improved Su Baird’s over-50 women’s 200m time by 0.7 seconds to 33.0 seconds, and Joy Hickman set two over-55 records in the 200m (35.8), and 800m (3:08.4) at the final round of the Cheshire Track and Field League at Oldham.

Cosette Wearden improved her 1500m club record in the Trafford AC Open Meeting held at Bury, set when she was u15 two years ago, to 5:10.46. She is now in the under 17 age group.

Lauren Higgins won the under 15 girls 800m at the Terry Davies Memorial Open Meeting at Warrington in a time of 2:30.15 and also ran in the 200m (30.50).

Erin Barnard won her heat of the under 15 girls 200m in 28.61 seconds and was second in her 100m heat (14.0).

And Victoria Hibbert completed the 1,000m Race Walk in a time of 7:20.39 which is an improvement of her over-55 women’s club record.

FIXTURES this weekend include the Halewood 5k Road Race, as well as the Southport Waterloo AC Open Track and Field Meeting at Litherland on Saturday; and the North West and Cheshire Road Relay Championships, at Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, on Sunday.

ENTRIES are still being accepted for this month’s Guilden Sutton 10k Road Race.

Host club West Cheshire Athletic Club will be staging the popular fixture which will come under starter’s orders at 11am on Sunday, September.

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Further details and the online entry link can be found at: https://wcac.niftyentries.com/Guilden-Sutton-10k1

ORMSKIRK and Blackpool are the venues for this Autumn’s two road relay championships.

Edge Hill University, Ormskirk is the setting for the Cheshire and North West Road Relay Championships being held on Sunday, September 8, and Stanley Park will be the setting for the Northern Championships on Saturday, September 21.

THE Wirral Multi-Terrain League fixtures have been published. They are: Tuesday, September 10, at Wirral Country Park, Thurstaston (7pm start); Tuesday, September 17, at Harrison Drive, Wallasey (6.30pm start), and Tuesday, September 24, at Arrowe Park (6.30pm start).

The online entry link is: https://wirralmultiterrain.niftyentries.com

HELSBY is the venue for the first round of the Borders Road Running League on September 29.

Other provisional dates and venues are: November 3 at Tattenhall; December 8 at Cybi Striders; January 26 at Deestriders; March 16 at Ellesmere Port; April 6 at Buckley Runners; May 7 at either Prestatyn, Chester Tri, or West Cheshire (Presentation Evening).

All races are on Sundays and start at 11am except for the final race which is on a Wednesday evening with a 7pm start and is a relay event.

FORTHCOMING fixtures include the North West and Cheshire Road Relay Championships, at Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, on Sunday, September 8; the Wirral Multi-Terrain League, at Wirral Country Park, Thurstaston on Tuesday, September 10 (7pm start); the West Cheshire AC Junior Multi-Events Competition, at Ellesmere Port Sports Village, on Saturday, September 14; the English National Cross Country Championships, at Weston Park, on Saturday, September 14; the Guilden Sutton 10k Road Race, on Sunday, September 15 (11am start); the Wirral Multi-Terrain League, at Harrison Drive, Wallasey on Tuesday, September 17 (6.30pm start); the Northern Athletics Road Relay Championships, at Stanley Park, Blackpool, on Saturday, September 21; the Wirral Multi-Terrain League at Arrowe Park on Tuesday, September 24 (6.30pm start); the Final Fling Throwing Competition at Wrexham on Saturday, September 28; the North Staffs Cross Country League first round, at Betley Hall Farm, near Crewe, on Saturday, September 28; and the Borders Road Running League first round on Sunday, September 29, at Helsby (11am start). 

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