Press Report: Club Celebrates Success

by Dennis Wall
WEST CHESHIRE Athletic Club celebrated its annual awards evening on Friday night.

The purple and gold-vested outfit attracted more than 100 members, parents and friends to the successful event held at Cheshire View, Christleton.

Sabrina Fortune, who won a gold medal in the women’s shot put with a new world record at the World Paralympic Games in India, was the guest speaker.

Mia Johnson was named winner of the women’s cup, and Lewis Parsons was the winner of the men’s cup.

Lewis Morris was presented with the Chris Goodwin Cup by Claire and Phil Goodwin, while Dylan Gledhill won the Wright Trophy, and Jane Palmer was named Club Person of the Year.

Emma Nutt, Claire Harris, and Joy Hickman were presented with first, second and third-placed awards respectively for the women’s Endurance Points Competition, and Michael Young, Mark Davies, and Jeff Gifford were the top three men respectively in their Endurance Points Competition.

Abby Gamble and Arianwen Setters won the under 11 girls awards, while Max Molloy and Logan Blackburn were presented with the under 11 boys trophies.

Poppy McKenna and Evie Whittaker collected the under 13 girls awards, and Lucas Sawyer and Tristan Lee won the under 13 boys cups.

Evie Whittaker and Rose Sheppard were recipients of the under 15 girls awards, and Louis Grimes and John Velasquez collected the under 15 boys trophies.

Alba March and Immy Fives won the under 17 ladies awards, while Jacob Gardner and Nathan Owen secured the under 17 men’s trophies.

Kara Stoll and Holly Bosworth won the under 20 ladies’ awards, and Dun Xue and Alessio Solinas collected the under 20 men’s cups.

Imogen Pughe and Megan Kettle won the senior ladies awards, while Paul Morrison and Matthew Douglass were the senior men’s winners.

Fiona Cook and Claire Harris were the veteran ladies winners, and Brian Wright and Steve Fernyhough secured the veteran men’s awards.

NIA MANSON produced a top-10 finish in the opening round of the Manchester Area Cross Country League on Saturday.

The West Cheshire member clocked 18 minutes 38 seconds for seventh spot in the under 15 girls race at Stockport’s Woodbank Park.

Julie Douzant finished seventh in her over-35 age category with a time of 39:03, and was backed up in the women’s race by Emma Nutt (20th senior lady in 41:46), Anest Muller (10th over-40 lady in 44:01), Angela Tegg (24th over 50 lady in 49:36), and Debra Bemand (28th over 50 lady in 50:33).

Abby Gamble posted 10:37 for 10th place in the under 11 girls race, supported by Heidi Anstey (18th in 11:33), and Arianwen Setters (28th in 12:15), while Sam Arnold clocked 11:19 for 53rd position in the under 11 boys race. 

Max Henderson posted 16:32 for 13th position in the under 15 boys race, while Jack Arnold (20th in 13:13) and Finley Edwards (58th in 15:41) completed the under 13 boys event.

Poppy McKenna (20th in 14:05), Florence Hain (49th in 15:23), Heidi Wetherall (71st in 17:30), and Isla Lambert (79th in 18:43) teamed up in the under 13 girls race.

Paul Morrison clocked 42:12 for 78th spot in the senior men’s race, ahead of Andrew Clague (fifth over 55 man in 44:32), and Julian Tegg (48th over 50 man in 55:19). 

FIXTURES this weekend include the West Cheshire AC Schools Cross Country Race Series first round being held on the EPSV field (behind the leisure centre), on Saturday, from 10am. Other fixtures will be held on Saturdays, November 29, January 31, and March 7.

WEST CHESHIRE AC coaches are delivering Sportshall Athletics in the Ellesmere Port Sports Village Sportshall between 6-8pm on Fridays, with the aim of helping youngsters prepare for North West League fixtures. Please come along and support the sessions.

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.

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