Press Report: Success for Young and Youth

MICHAEL YOUNG delivered an impressive victory in Sunday’s Chester Metric Marathon.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club member clocked a winning time of one hour 30 minutes 15 seconds for the 26.2km course, more than three minutes ahead of his nearest rival, Sam Stratford (1:33:30), with Daniel Sutton in third spot with 1:33:41.

Keely Smith, who was second in the women’s race with a time of 1:47, claimed first position in her over 40 age category, ahead of West Cheshire team mates Chris Shaw (first over-50 man in 1:49:17) and Lindsay Fisher (second over-35 lady in 1:52:39).

Other West Cheshire finishers in the Metric Marathon included Anest Muller (2:15:04), Peter Kerestur (2:17:57), and Angela Tegg (2:25:17).

Matthew Douglass was the first finisher for West Cheshire AC in the Chester Marathon, negotiating the 26.2 miles course in 2:46:05, ahead of Carolyn Pollard (3:43:16), David Irving (3:55:00), and Andrew Barratt (3:56:39).

Saskia Keresturova and Heidi Anstey, both representing West Cheshire AC, finished first and second in the Chester Mini Marathon.

EMILIA PYPER celebrated success representing West Cheshire AC at the opening round of the North Wales Cross Country League on Saturday in wintry weather conditions at St Asaph.

Emilia clocked a winning time of 27:40 in the under 17 women’s age group race and finished ninth overall in the women’s race which featured Emma Nutt (sixth lady in 30:13), Anest Muller (seventh over-40 lady in 32:30), Ellie Robinson (fifth over-50 lady in 32:46), Joy Hickman (fourth over 60 lady in 34:03), Debra Bemand (ninth over-50 lady in 35:53), and Alex Duffey (14th over-50 lady in 42:22).

Abby Gamble (fourth in 7:47), Heidi Anstey (fifth in 7:49), Evelyn Edwards (sixth in 7:55), Arianwen Setters (seventh in 7:59), Ivy Bowden (ninth in 8:11), and Olivia Gregory-Phimister (21st in 10:00) combined for a team victory in the under 11 girls event.

Niall Betteridge (second in 8:33), Max Molloy (sixth in 9:33), Toby Honeyborne-Kelly (seventh in 9:41), Sam Arnold (21st in 10:46) and James Thomas (26th in 11:36) delivered joint first team position in the under 11 boys race.

Lucas Sawyer (third in 9:51), Leon Betteridge (fourth in 10:21), Morgan Edwards (13th in 11:50), Jack Arnold (15th in 12:00), and Henry Cobb (20th in 13:09) combined for second team position in the under 13 boys race.

Poppy McKenna (fifth in 9:23), Rosie Grimsditch (sixth in 9:25), Saskia Keresturova (eighth in 9:35), Florence Hain (ninth in 9:38), Heidi Wetherall (11th in 9:49), and Isla Lambert (24th in 12:14) teamed up for second team place in the under 13 girls race.

Nia Manson finished second with a time of 10:41 in the under 15 girls race ahead of team mate Rose Sheppard (13th in 12:29).

George Grimsditch (fifth in 17:27) and Finlay Stewart (eighth in 18:06) completed the under 15 boys race.

Paul Morrison (53rd in 35:07), Neil Hershaw (first over-60 man in 36:09), Andrew Clague (first over-55 man in 37:09), Jeff Gifford (third over-60 man in 38:56), and Mark Davies (39:16) combined for fourth team spot in Division One.

The next round takes place at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, on Saturday, October 25. 

LEWIS MORRIS (11:38), Dan Walker (13:17), and Ben Newall (13:38) combined to finish 31st for West Cheshire AC in the under 17 men’s race at Sutton Park, Birmingham, in Saturday’s English Road Running Association National Autumn Road Relay Championships.

WEST CHESHIRE AC was represented on Sunday at the opening round of the North West Sportshall Athletics League held at Crewe Lifestyle Centre.

Leo Haseler, Gabriella Senbanjo, Heidi Anstey, Abby Gamble, Louisa Cogan, Hermione Allison, Lyra Allison, Amber Cogan, Florence Tran, and Harriet Oliver all teamed up for the club in the first of four fixtures this winter.

FIXTURES this weekend include the West Cheshire AC Awards Evening at Cheshire View, Christleton, on Friday; the Manchester Area Cross Country League first round on Saturday at Woodbank Park, Stockport), while the Chester District Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships will be held at Bishop Heber on Monday for boys, and on Tuesday at Christleton on girls.

FIXTURES for this season’s Borders Road Running League are: 16th November, Delamere (West Cheshire AC); 7th December, Trac Mon, Anglesey (Cybi); 1st February, TBC (Pensby); 1st March, Wallasey; 22nd March, Promenade (Wirral AC); 6th May, Prestatyn, Relays.

THE dates for the four-round West Cheshire AC Schools Cross Country Race Series being held on the EPSV field (behind the leisure centre), this winter are: Saturdays, October 18, November 29, January 31, and March 7.

THIS winter’s Manchester Indoor Track and Field Open Meetings will be held on Sundays, 30 November 2025; 21 December 2025; 18 January 2026; 8 February 2026; 22 February 2026; 15 March 2026.

THE Northern Indoor Track and Field Championships for 2026 will take place at EIS Sheffield on the following dates:

Seniors, Under 20 and Under 17 on Saturday and Sunday, January 10 and 11, while the Under 15 and Under 13 fixture will be held on Sunday February 1.

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