Press Report: West Best at Oswestry

by Dennis Wall

WEST CHESHIRE Athletic Club’s under 13 girls were crowned team champions at Oswestry on Saturday.

The purple and gold vested youngsters delivered top spot overall at The Marches School in the final round of the North Wales Cross Country League.

Poppy McKenna celebrated victory at the final race and finished third overall, backed up on Saturday by Heidi Wetherall (fifth), Saskia Keresturova (eighth), Emilia Hughes (ninth), Beth Jones (14th), and Isla Lambert (15th).

Lucas Sawyer won the under 13 boys race at Oswestry and was supported by Leon Betteridge (fifth), Jack Arnold (sixth), Morgan Edwards (14th), Finley Edwards (16th), Atharva Ganesh (17th), and Henry Cobb (20th), to earn West Cheshire second team position overall.

Niall Betteridge won the under 11 boys race at Oswestry and was backed up by Sam Arnold (19th) and James Thomas (30th).  

Abby Gamble secured second position in the under 11 girls race at Oswestry and was supported by Heidi Anstey (fifth), and Evelyn Edwards (sixth), and the trio contributed towards team silver medals.

Nia Manson finished third overall in the under 15 girls age group after securing seventh spot on Saturday and ensured her club finished third in the team competition. 

Jeff Gifford, Emma Nutt, Ellie Robinson and Joy Hickman celebrated podium places in the North Wales Senior Cross Country League overall standings.

Jeff won the 60-64 age group title after finishing second in the final race, while Emma pocketed a silver medal in the senior women’s age group after registering third place in her age group on Sunday.

Ellie secured a bronze medal in her 50-54 age group and Joy pocketed a bronze medal in her 60-64 age category.

Paul Morrison (17th) headed West Cheshire men’s charge at Oswestry, backed up by Jeff Gifford, Andrew Clague (fourth over 55 man and 65th man), Ian Pritchard (11th over-55 man and 87th man).

West Cheshire finished fifth team on Saturday and seventh overall in Division Two.

Claire Harris was West Cheshire’s first lady finisher on Saturday, achieving fifth place in her over-35 age group and eighth spot in the ladies race, supported by Emma Nutt (third senior lady and 11th overall), Anest Muller (seventh over-40 lady and 29th overall), Joy Hickman (third over-60 lady and 44th overall), and Alex Duffey (10th over-50 lady and 92nd overall).

West Cheshire finished fourth team on Saturday and fifth overall in Division One, while also finishing the female masters team event as fourth on the day and sixth overall.    

IMOGEN PUGHE competed at the BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Championships at the weekend in Sheffield, qualifying for the 200m semi finals and achieving 26.49 seconds – her fastest 200m time for six years.

FIXTURES this weekend include the English National Cross Country Championships at Hardwick East Park, Sedgefield, County Durham, on Saturday, the British Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships at Lee Valley, on Saturday and Sunday, and the Sale Harriers Indoor Track and Field Open Meeting in Manchester on Sunday.

ENTRIES have opened for the Chester Spring Five Milers Road Race being organised by West Cheshire AC on Wednesday, April 15. The entry link is: https://wcac.niftyentries.com/Chester-Spring-5123

FIXTURES for this season’s Borders Road Running League are: March 1, Birkenhead Park; April 19, Delamere Forest; May 6 (to be confirmed), Prestatyn, Relays.

THIS winter’s Sale Harriers Manchester Indoor Track and Field Open Meetings will be held at the Regional Athletics Centre, Sportcity, Manchester. M11 4FF, on the following Sundays, February 22; and March 15. The online entry link is: https://www.saleharriersmanchester.com/winter-indoor-series/

FIXTURES for this year’s Cheshire Track and Field Grand Prix are: Round One, Saturday 25th April, at Macclesfield; Round Two, Sunday, 17th May, at Crewe or Macclesfield; Round Three, Sunday, 5th July, at Ashton Under Lyne; Round Four, Sunday, 13th September, at Ellesmere Port Sports Village.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS have announced the date and details for the 2026 Indoor Championships:

March 7-8: England Age Group Combined Events and Junior Para Championships. Entries are open on Roster, closing on February 22.

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