Press Report: Success for Joseph and Fiona

by Dennis Wall

ATHLETICS

FIONA COOK helped England pocket team gold medals in Ireland at the weekend.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club distance runner was second over-40 lady, fifth lady overall, and third home for England at Saturday’s Anglo Celtic 100km Race.

Fiona, who recently won the Chester Ultra 50 miles Race, clocked eight hours 27 minutes 11 seconds for the event held at Limerick, in Ireland.

JOSEPH MORRISON celebrated victory at Sunday’s Borders Road Running League fixture held along Hoylake Promenade.

Joseph clocked 24 minutes six seconds for the 7.5km course and was backed up by West Cheshire team mates Matthew Douglass (ninth in 25:03), Scott Wells (37th in 26:45), Paul Morrison (53rd in 27:18), Graham Wells (56th in 27:22), Emma Nutt (15th lady in 30:20), Julie Taillard (16th lady in 30:25), Kevin Eaton (121st in 31:00), Ian Pritchard (127th in 31:29), Brian Cremin (132nd in 31:43), Andrew Clague (147th in 32:22), Joy Hickman (27th lady in 33:03), Anest Muller (40th lady in 34:08), Sallyann Harper (49th lady in 34:48), Deb Bemand (78th lady in 38:24), Tony Kennedy (226th in 42:37), and Dave Tiernan (232nd in 46:53).

TEAM POSITIONS (after five rounds)

MENS DIVISION ONE: 1 Helsby 1473 points; 2 Buckley 1615; 3 Chester Tri 2261; 4 Wallasey 2441; 5 Wrexham 4310; 6 Wirral 4378; 7 Ellesmere Port 7931.

WOMENS DIVISION ONE: 1 Helsby 596; 2 West Cheshire 795; 3 Chester Tri 874; 4 Wallasey 1066; 5 Deeside 1189; 6 Buckley 1338; 7 Eryri 2984.

MENS DIVISION TWO: 1 West Cheshire 2072; 2 Prestatyn 2257; 3 Deeside 4045; 4 Eryri 4400; 5 UTS 4605; 6 Birkenhead 4694; 7 Pensby 5494; 8 Wrecsam Tri 6162; 9 Deestriders 6193; 10 Cybi 12131; 11 Tattenhall 13399.

WOMENS DIVISION TWO: 1 Wirral 686; 2 Prestatyn 705; 3 UTS 934; 4 Ellesmere Port 976; 5 Pensby 1589; 6 Deestriders 1621; 7 Wrexham 1667; 8 Wrecsam Tri 1681; 9 Birkenhead 2117; 10 Tattenhall 3125; 11 Cybi 3432.

LEWIS MORRIS, who has been picked by Northern Athletics for the 2.6km London Mini Marathon, on Saturday, April 25, clocked 30:48 for 19th spot at the Cheshire Elite 10k Road Race held at Pulford.

He was supported at the fixture by Michael Young (75th in 32:43), Sam Oliver (88th in 33:06), Jack Gannon (161st in 35:36), Steve King (235th in 37:31), Adam Harris (302nd in 39:29), Chris Shaw (309th in 39:34), Duncan Harris (324th in 40:08), Mark Davies (359th in 42:05), Stephen Ball (440th in 48:26), and Neil Hershaw (458th in 53:23).

ALBA MARCH stormed to success with a time of 12.5 seconds for the under 16 women’s 100m at Saturday’s Blackpool Open Track and Field Meeting.

HEIDI ANSTEY tasted victory at Sunday’s Trafford Open Medal Meeting with an under 12 girls 150m personal best of 21.39 seconds, and added a silver medal with a 75m personal best of 10.85 seconds.

Freya Whittaker clocked 13.38 seconds in the under 14 women’s 75m hurdles, long jumped 3.58m and cleared 1-40m in the high jump, while her sister, Evie, posted 12.66 seconds for the under 16 women’s 80m hurdles, and cleared 1-55m in the high jump.

Poppy McKenna clocked 12.11 seconds for the under 14 women’s 75m hurdles, long jumped 4.10m, and cleared 1-30m in the high jump.

Merryn Thorne posted 16.76 in the under 14 women’s 75m hurdles and cleared 1-20m in the high jump, while her sister, Violet, hit 25.58m in the under 16 women’s hammer, 27.60m in the discus, and 8.06m in the shot put.

John Velasquez clocked 27.08 seconds in his under 16 men’s 200m and 47.50 seconds in the 300m.

Lucas Sawyer rounded the under 14 men’s 800m in 2:13.70, and Isla Lambert hit 19.01m in the under 14 women’s hammer.

JACK ARNOLD helped Cheshire boys beat Merseyside in Monday night’s Year Seven Schools Cross Country team fixture hosted by his club, West Cheshire, at Ellesmere Port Sports Village.

And West Cheshire duo, Alice Roberts-Page and Emilia Hughes, represented Cheshire in the 2.5km girls race that Merseyside won.

TEAM RESULTS (based on finishing positions)

GIRLS – Merseyside 46 Cheshire 96.

BOYS – Cheshire 65 Merseyside 74.

OVERALL – Merseyside 120 Cheshire 161.

FIXTURES this week include the Northern Athletics 12 and 6 Stage Road Relay Championships on Saturday at Carlisle.

WEST CHESHIRE is hosting a Seniors and Masters Open Track Meeting on Saturday, April 11, at Ellesmere Port Sports Village, featuring One mile, 3,000m and 10,000m events, with the 10,000m incorporating the Northern Masters Championship.

The entry fee is £7.50 per event for track events and £10 for the 10,000m, and track events start at 10am.

The online entry link is: https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2026/GBR/throwspent-middist/

Enquiries relating to track events to: [email protected]

All competitors must be registered with a UKA affiliated club.

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

THE 2026 Cheshire Steeplechase Championships will be held at Warrington, on Saturday, April 18. Warrington AC have kindly offered to host the County Steeplechase Championships for Cheshire and other North West Counties at their Spring Open Meeting.

There will be races for Under 16, Under 18, Under 20 and Senior men and women. Medals will be awarded to the first three Cheshire athletes to finish in each race.

Holding a joint event with other counties will provide athletes with a great opportunity to take part in more competitive races. The closing date for entries is April 15.

Full details of the meeting can be found at: https://meets.rosterathletics.com/public/competitions/details/about?id=27996&fbclid=IwY2xjawQb45dleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBwbExyNkJJTm8zSUJVYWd3c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvNqYRkjoZiDhrWVl_3Jn1XMpN3UxJ1D_WKnZVY7PizG4lSLvooBIVLRYkB8_aem_lskPt-oZhn3JkLRsPFUpHg

FIXTURES for this season’s Borders Road Running League are: April 19, (To Be Confirmed); May 6 (to be confirmed), Prestatyn, Relays.

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

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