Saturday 20th June 2009

THE future stars of athletics were in fine form at the at the 2009 Leicestershire and Rutland Secondary Schools Track & Field Championships as Charlie Stocks (Javelin), Laura Samuels (Triple Jump), Blue Haywood (1500m), Ryan Lee (400m) and Robert Mohan (Shot) all wrote their names in the county record books with a selection of top age-group performances at the Saffron Lane Sports Stadium on Saturday 13th June.

Blue Haywood representing the North Leics team in the week that the 15-year-old was selected for the junior Aviva Great Britain & Northern Ireland team to compete at the 2009 European Mountain Running Championships on 12th July in Telfes Stubai, Austria, set a new county record in the Senior girls 1500m as the Lincoln Wellington athlete clocked a time of 4mins 41.7secs to surpass the previous mark of 4:44.2 set by Clare Mensley (Charnwood) in 2006.

In her last year of competition at schools level Leicester Coritanians highly talented Laura Samuels, having won the English national U20 indoor title back in February and currently heads the current rankings in the United Kingdom, the 18-year-old was simply a class apart in the Senior girls Triple Jump event setting a new county record with a leap of 12.12m - outside of her lifetime best of 12.82 recorded when finishing fourth at the Bedford International Games last month.

Samuel is also an accomplished long jumper and won the English Schools Championship title in 2007 in Birmingham.

Leicestershire over recent years has produced two top Javelin champions in the Corby duo of Harry Hollis and Sarah Ann De Kremer; and Charnwood’s prestigious talent Charlie Stocks looks to be following in their footsteps as the 15-year-old Rawlins pupil won the Inter-Boys competition with a huge throw of 60.23 metres setting a new lifetime best and improving the championship record by a margin of 5.34 metres surpassing Hollis previous mark set last year when Stocks finished in the silver medal position.

Stocks, the reigning county champion, is currently ranked 5th on the United Kingdom Under-17 list and is currently training at Loughborough University. Hollis moving up to the Senior boys level won the title with a throw of 52.76.

Nene Valley Harrier Robert Mohan from Rutland, currently being coached by Geoff Capes at Loughborough University, having claimed a bronze medal at English Schools in Gateshead last year won the Shot competition with 16.38m that broke the record set the reigning United Kingdom indoor champion Mark Edwards (15.35) set in 1993.

Leicester Coritanians Ryan Lee also set a new county record on his way to gold in the heats of the Under-13 boys 400m with a time of 57.7secs.

The 2009 Aviva ESAA Schools Track & Field Championships will take place on 10th-11th July at Sheffield’s Don Valley Stadium and will be shown live on Sky Sports on the Saturday from 2pm to 6pm.
Leading Finals Results:
Senior Boys
100m: 1 M Hodge (NL) 11.0; 2 M Overend (NL) 11.1; 3 B Morris (SL) 11.2
200m: 1 M Hodge (NL) 23.1; 2 M Overend (NL) 23.3; 3 D Friend (SL) 24.4
400m: 1 P Berners (NL) 50.4; 2 O Carwright (NL) 52.6; 3 C Woollson (Rut) 56.4
800m: 1 T Nutt (SL) 2.03.1; 2 T Grigalis (NL) 2.05.3; 3 L Smart NI) 2.05.4
1500m: 1 S Stabler (NEL) 4.13.9; 2, P Radley (SL) 4.25.1
3000m: 1 J Dixon (NL) 9.28.8; 2, C Ball (WL) 11.29.0; 3 Charlie Morgan (NEL) 31.08.
High Jump: 1 R Sithole (NL) 1.93
Shot: 1 R Mohan (RUT) 16.38; 2 T Pearson (NL) 13.03
Discus: 1 T Pearson (NL) 36.69; 2 T Atkinson (RUT) 33.02
Long Jump: 1 U Citucani (RUT) 4.71
Javelin: 1 H Hollis (RUT) 52.76; 2 T Fleedan (RUT) 36.71
Triple Jump: 1 M Kirby (WL) 13.10
Senior Girls
100m: 1 L Haslam (NL) 12.5
200m: 1 L Haslam (NL) 26.0
400m: 1 H Godrich (SL) 61.4
1500m: 1 B Haywood (NL) 4-41.7; 2 L Monk (ML) 5-20.6; 3 E Brown (NEL) 5.43.4
Shot: 1 U Oforka (WL) 10.36; 2 M Okposio (WL) 7.56
Triple Jump: 1 L Samuel (NL) 12.12; 2 H Walsh (NL) 11.26; 3 K Birks (RUT) 10.78
100m Hurdles: 1 S Miskelly (NL) 15.1; 2 E Cluley (NL) 16.5
Javelin: 1 S De Kremer (RUT) 33.34
Inter Boys
100m: 1 K Carlisle (NL) 11.4; 2 A Hassan (NL) 11.5; 3 J Holland (RUT) 11.7
200m: 1 J Clements (ML) 24.3; 2 S Woods (NEL) 24.6; 3 J Wood (NL) 24.9
400m: 1 I Reeds (ML) 53.7; 2 T Smith (EL) 54.6; 3 S Jordan (SL) 56.1
800m: 1 S Southall (SL) 2.10.3; 2 O Tom (SL) 2.19.5
1500m: 1 R Woolley (ML) 4.27.6; 2 W Bourne (NL) 4.29.3; 3 D Ogg (NL) 4.41.4
3000m: 1 A Chambers (ML) 9.42.4; 2 J Short (SL) 10.31.1; 3 J Cox (SL) 11.05.6
100m Hurdles: 1 R Adiyia (WL) 14.6; 2 J Domingo (ML) 15.1; 3 W Gurney (NL) 16.8
High Jump: 1 J Powley (WL) 1.76; 2 A Villis (NL) 1.73; 3= O Tom (SL) 1.55; = D Gordon 1.55
Long Jump: 1 T Lilley (ML) 5.99; 2 E Campbell (WL) 5.83; 3 G Wong (RUT) 5.76
Triple Jump: 1 A James (WL) 13.10; 2 D Graham (ML) 13.08; 3 V Lodhia (NL) 11.86
Shot: 1 1 C McDonnell (RUT) 11.63; 2 T Cartwright (SL) 9.96
Discus: 1 T Summerscales (NL) 30.24; 2 I Eruchie (WL) 29.53; 3 A Green (RUT) 25.98
Javelin: 1 1 C Stocks (NWL) 60.23; 2 T Morris (EL) 52.16; 3 W Dibb (SL) 38.76
Inter Girls
100m: 1 E Wardle 13.1; 2 A Wye (ML) 13.9; 3 S Quailey (EL) 14.0
200m: 1 H Connolly (NL) 27.9; 2 L Robinson (SL) 28.5; 3 E Cragg (NEL) 30.2
300m: 1 W Washington (ML) 45.2; 2 L Thompson-Simon (WL) 48.7; 3 A Brown (ML) 49.8
800m: 1 B Bendle (NEL) 2.24 2 C Cotter (RUT) 2.28; 3 T White (SL) 2.30
1500m: 1 F Vincent (ML) 4.49.8; 2 L Crookes (NL) 4.57.0; 3 L Mellor (NL) 5.03.6
80m Hurdles: 1 R Baxter (NL) 13.60; 2 C Willis (WL) 19.10
High Jump: 1 K Gamble (SL) 1.30; 2 H Wale (WI) 1.20; 3 C Willis (SL) 1.15
Long Jump: 1 C Bogic (EL) 4.88; 2 E Davis (ML) 4.57; 3 D Collins (WL) 4.24
Triple Jump: 1 C Taylor (NL) 9.54
Shot: 1 S Hurst (EL) 10.36; 2 K Taylor (WL) 9.13; 3 D Tapper (ML) 7.96
Discus: 1 K Gadhok (ML) 20.35; 2 C Fletcher (NEL) 20.83; 3 G Litchfield (WI) 20.08
Javelin: 1 A Burdett (ML) 38.27; 2 A Knight (NL) 31.02; 3 S De-Kremer (RUT) 23.41
Junior Boys
100m: 1 C Ball (SL) 12.0; 2 L Pickering (WL) 12.3; 3 R Foster (HUG) 12.4
200m: 1 E Francis (WL) 24.00; 2 J Gordon (EL) 25.50; 3 J Davies (SL) 26.10
400m: 1 L Mead (HUG) 55.2; 2 O Duffin (RUT) 56.5; 3 C Connolly (SL) 57.5
800m: 1 J Nutt (SL) 2.15.0; 2 R Dunsmuir (RUT) 2.17.0; , 3 E Eagyei-Bekoe (WL) 2.17.9
1500m: 1 S Ashman (SL) 4.43.5; 2 A Tansey (ML) 4.46.2; 3 R Hardy (NL) 4.50.4
80m Hurdles: 1 E James (WL) 12.6; 2 D Williams (WL) 12.9; 3 R Davis (SL) 13.3
High Jump: 1 R Hunter (WL) 1.65; 2 J Kent (ML) 1.65; 3 E Mulingani (HUG) 1.60
Long Jump: 1 J Southall (HUG) 4.92; 2 L Close (NWL) 4.57; 3 Daniel Hutton (NL) 4.49
Triple Jump: 1 J Blake (ML) 12.31; 2 C Favell (ML) 11.57; 3 J Staniforth (SL) 11.06
Shot: 1 S Murphy (WL) 11.7; 2 E Milne (SL) 11.52; 3 R Welland (EL) 10.29
Discus: 1 F Francis (SL) 38.77; 2 M McLaughlin (SL) 30.28; 3 J Hardy (SL) 28.72
Javelin: 1 H Panayitoo (ML) 42.21; 2 R Evans (NL) 35.89; 3 S Hewitt (NL) 35.45
Junior Girls
100m: 1 J Raynor (NEL) 13.00; 2 R Kymant (RUT) 13.20; 3 K Kemble (NL) 13.50
200m: 1 A Barrow (ML) 27.80; 2 I Magee 28.50; 3 R Farnsworth 28.70
800m: 1 B Smyton (SL) 2.25.0; 2 E Sales (SL) 25.00; 3 M Abraham (NL) 26.10
1500m: 1 A Griffiths (ML) 4.54.5; 2 M Fairbrother 5.08.1; 3 J Ashford 5.20.0
75m Hurdles: 1 R Jones (SL) 12.30; 2 J Merriman (NEL) 12.90; 3 S Hassan (NL) 12.90
High Jump: 1 L Taylor (SL) 1.43; 2 C Hutton (SL) 1.40; 3 H Dury (NEL) 1.35
Long Jump: 1 S Jayes (WL) 4.58; 2 M Baker (NL) 4.58; 3 L Rawsbottom (SL) 4.54
Shot: 1 S Galfield (NL) 9.10; 2 H Thomkins (SL) 7.58; 3 S Dawson (WL) 7.30
Discus: 1 C Hutley (SL) 18.77; 2 R Kasote (EL) 18.35; 3 L Cox (WL) 18.27
Javelin: 1 A Davey (NEL) 24.07; 2 A Meadows (SL) 23.07; 3,A Woodford (ML) 21.61
Under-13 Boys
100m: 1 J Wong (RUT) 12.6; 2 K King (ML) 13.0; 3 S Castledine (SL) 13.2
200m: 1 S Stannard (NEL) 28.00; 2 S Al-Hariri 28.70; 3 L Joel 29.10
400m: 1 R Lee (ML) 60.0; 2 P Ruskin (SL) 62.7; 3 E Parker (SL) 63.2
70m Hurdles: 1 W Harding (WL) 11.8; 2 N Mahoney (NL) 12.2; 3 C Pryce 12.4
800m: 1 J Hatton 2.23.5; 2 T Rigby (NEL) 2.26.1; 3 B Roehrig (WL) 2.27.8
High Jump: 1 J Heron 1.4; 2 N Proser 1.35; 3 L Burgess 1.3
Long Jump: 1 J Southall 4.92; 2 L Close (NL) 4.57; 3 D Hutton 4.49
Discus: 1 H Young (ML) 25.07; 2 K Boyd 22.48; 3 E Gent (NL) 21.30
Javelin: 1 C Adcock (SL) 27.50; 2 A Henderson (HUG) 24.81; 3 E Walsh (NWL) 24.53
Under-13 Girls
100m: 1 K Cazley (WL) 13.6; 2 A Wilson (ML) 14.2; 3 H Drake (HUG) 14.3
200m: 1 H Keenan (ML) 29.9; 2 E Brahmachair (RUT) 30.7; 3 C Wright (SL) 30.9
70m Hurdles: 1 H Barton (NL) 12.3; 2 H Miljon (SL) 12.6; 3 L Martin (SL) 13.1
800m: 1 M Smith (NL) 2.27.5; 2 E Hollis (NEL) 32.00; 3 B Ellis (SL) 34.80
High Jump: 1 E Hemmings (RUT) 1.30; 3 A Murfitt (NL) 1.25
Long Jump: 1 J Green (NL) 4.27; 2 C Caires (HUG) 4.12; 3 I Ashworth (HUG) 4.08
Discus: 1 H Parr (HUG) 20.53; 2 A O'Flynn (SL) 17.74; 3 D Hutton (NL) 17.38
Javelin: 1 T Taylor (HUG) 22.45; 2 A Campbell (WL) 21.76; 3 R Legard (ML) 16.94
U13 Girls 2000m Walk: 1 E Achurch (ML) 11.23.5; 2 A Cox (WL) 13.51.4; 3 K Taylor (WL) 14.03.2
Junior Girls 2000m Walk: 1 J Nicholls (ML) 10.45.9
Inter Girls 2000m Walk: 1 C Hempstall (WL) 15.15.3
Inter Boys 2000m Walk: 1 M Orzel (SL) 10.05.6
U13 Girls Relay: 1 WL 58.3; 2 NL 58.7; 3 NEL 58.8
Junior Girls Relay: 1 SL 55.4; 2 HUG 56.7; 3 ML 58.3
Junior Boys Relay: 1 WL 48.6; 2 ML 49.7; 3 NL 50.6
Inter Girls Relay: 1 EL 53.5; 2 RUT 55; 3 ML 55.1
Inter Boys Relay: 1 ML 48.7; 2 EL 48.8
Senior Boys: 1 NL 47.9

www.esaa.net

Saturday 9th May 2009

LEICESTERSHIRE’s Sarah-Anne de Kremer has vowed to put her injury nightmare behind her this season and return to the top of the podium at the Sainburys English National Schools Championships this summer.

The 18-year-old athlete has suffered with a stress fracture in her back for the last two years but her comeback was boosted last Friday after she was invited back on to the Lloyds TSB Local Heroes scheme.

The Oakham School pupil was among 250 youngsters from around the UK selected to join a sporting masterclass at Loughborough University.

De Kremer, who received advice on food, nutrition and training, admits being accepted back on to the scheme has acted as a massive confidence boost.

She said: "Last year the scheme just proved to be a massive help in getting me recognised and getting support from across a broad range of people.

"But this year is all about building myself up and getting back to where I was before I got injured. It will be a struggle but I am prepared for it.

"I will be competing at the English Schools Championships in July and I have won the javelin title there before.

"I have also been successful at the UK School Games as well, so I know the talent is in me, it is just all about getting back there."

De Kremer, who trains at Corby Athletics Club, also has the England Under-20 Championships on the horizon in June.

And she insists there is no reason why she can't follow in her idol
Goldie Sayers' footsteps into Olympic competition if she can steer clear of injury over the next three years.

He said: "Goldie Sayers was a real inspiration at the Olympics and she is a great role model for a young girl like myself.

"I hope to compete with her one day. 2012 is fast approaching but I believe if I can get fully fit and throwing well there is no reason why I can't go all out to qualify.

Lloyds TSB is providing £1,000 to over 250 emerging young sportspeople identified each year across Britain, in the run up to London 2012 and beyond www.lloydstsb.com/localheroes

Old Billingsgate, London

Sunday 26th April 2009

THE East Midlands regional Boys and Girls teams were in action at the 2009 adidas London Mini Marathon that was held as part of the Flora London Marathon - their individual results and overall team standings are listed below.
Boys 11-12
11 East Midlands 154pts
3051 Johnson, Samuel GBR 33 96
3049 Shaw, James GBR 36 96
3052 Chambers, Dominic GBR 40 96
3054 Collins, Benjamin GBR 45 96
3053 Wardle, Bailey GBR 97
Boys 13-14
9 East Midlands 154pts
3043 Williams, Matthew GBR 32 94
3046 Smith, Jordan GBR 35 94
3044 Nutt, James GBR 42 94
3045 Kench, Jacob GBR 45 94
3047 Roberts, Logan GBR 95
3048 Wragg, Thomas GBR 9
Boys 15-16
11 East Midlands 148pts
3037 Norris, Benjamin GBR 3 92
3038 Connor, Ben GBR 35 92
3039 Maguire, Niall GBR 53 92
3041 Goringe, Jonathan GBR 57 91
3040 Collins, Tom GBR 93
3042 Harrison, Jake GBR 91
Girls 11-12
8 East Midlands 98pts
3068 Rata, Emma GBR 8 96
3067 Haywood, Bo GBR 11 96
3070 Johnson, Molly GBR 36 96
3071 Morrow- Harris, Abigail GBR 43 96
3069 Thomas, Catrina GBR 97
3072 Bevins, Georgia GBR 96
Girls 13-14
11 East Midlands 171pts
3061 Marsh, Codie GBR 12 94
3064 Cobb, Alice GBR 50 95
3063 Erskine, Emma GBR 54 94
3062 Bangay, Celine GBR 55 95
3066 Jalland, Kimberley GBR 95
3065 Milner, Agnes GBR 94
Girls 15-16
8 East Midlands 132pts
3055 Armoush, Tamara GBR 20 92
3057 Roberts, Nicole GBR 29 92
3058 Vernon, Abbie GBR 41 92
3056 Inwood, Charlotte GBR 42 93
3059 Vincent, Freya GBR 94
3060 Marshall, Lori GBR 93

www.minimarathon.co.uk/

Thursday 9th April 2009

AS the race season fast approaches for all juniors in the East Midlands, please find attached details and links for the Junior Flashman event in Leicester, and the Charnwood Junior Triathlon being held in Loughborough.

The Charnwood Junior Triathlon takes place first on the 10th May, and also includes an adults aquathlon in case any parents wish to be part of the action to. The event is held at Burleigh college in Loughborough and the entry details can be found by clicking on the following link:

http://charnwoodtriathlon.co.uk/home/index.html

www.leicestertriathlonclub.co.uk/

Both events are part of the East Midlands Junior Triathlon series.
www.britishtriathlon.org/triathlonengland/news/article.php?id=10111

Saturday 4th April 2009

LEADING primary school cross-country runners contested their 28th Leicestershire County Championships at Beaumont Park on Saturday 28th March. Representing the 9 areas that make up the Leicestershire Primary Schools Athletics Association these young athletes put on a super spectacle of determined running over challenging courses.

In a dogged run into the finish, Eleanor Here (B) held off the South Leics pair of Sophie Domingo (SL) and Lottie Edwards in the Year 3 / 4 race. This was an exceptional performance as Eleanor is still only Year 3 and has another year in this age group – Hannah Cox achieved a similar feat in 2006! With three other team-mates in the first seven, South Leics swept to victory in this category. Archie Banks (L) led home league champion Marcus Rowland (V) and Siranjit Thandi (B) in the corresponding boy’s race. Archie’s performance was rewarded with both individual and team gold as his Loughborough team took home the Year 4 shield.

In the Year 5 competition, Elizabeth Mulvaney (L) won her second County title with team-mate Laura Mullin in second place. However, bronze medallist Caitlin Roper headed the South Leics team to their second team trophy of the morning. Ben Dijkstra (Year 5 - B) continued his dominance in this age group as he romped home to his second County title to add to his three league successes. With squad members Alfie Thompson and Ben Tansley also in podium positions, the Bradgate team eased to the Year 5 team title with the lowest score of the day.

Hannah Cox has become the most prolific collector of titles in the long history of the LPSAA. With another clear cut victory in the Year 6 event, this exceptional runner has now amassed four County crowns to add to a string of league and area titles. As last year, Charlotte Broughton (ML) was runner-up and once again, collected another team gold for leading her Mid Leics squad to the team title. Sam Edwards (Year 6 - SL) was awarded his first County trophy as he triumphed over his main rivals Sam Elliott (H) and Harvey Barnes (M). The Hinckley boys’ squad comfortably won their Year 6 team trophy.

In 2006 South Leics won the Overall team championship shield for the first time in the 25 years since the County Championships began – they have now won that honour for the third time in four years with another succession of great performances across all the age groups.

Report by George Smolinski.

Leading Results:
Year 4 Girls:
1 Eleanor Here (Bradgate), 2 Sophie Domingo (South Leics), 3 Lottie Edwards (South Leics)
Teams:
1 South Leics 37pts, 2 Hinckley 140, 3 Rutland 141
Year 4 Boys:
1 Archie Banks (Loughborough), 2 Marcus Rowland (Vale of Belvoir, Melton), 3 Simranjit Thandi (Bradgate)
Teams:
1 Loughborough 59pts, 2 South Leics 80, 3 Bradgate 154
Year 5 Girls:
1 Elizabeth Mulvaney (Loughborough), 2 Laura Mullin (Loughborough), 3 Caitlin Roper (South Leics). Teams: 1 South Leics 92pts, 2 Hinckley 117, 3 Loughborough 139
Year 5 Boys:
1 Ben Dijkstra (Bradgate), 2 Alfie Thompson (Bradgate), 3 Ben Tansley (Bradgate)
Teams:
1 Bradgate 36pts, 2 South Leics 89, 3 Hinckley 120.
Year 6 Girls:
1 Hannah Cox (North-West Leics), 2 Charlotte Broughton (Mid-Leics), 3 Eleanor Long (South Leics)
Teams:
1 Mid-Leics 86pts. 2 South Leics 105, 3 Hinckley 107
Year 6 Boys:
1 Sam Edwards (South Leics), 2 Sam Elliott (Hinckley), 3 Harvey Barnes (Mid-Leics)
Teams:
1 Hinckley 76pts, 2 Mid-Leics 106, 3 South Leics 113
Overall Team Championship:
1 South Leics 516 points, 2 Hinckley 761, 3 North-West Leics 1037

2009 Sainsbury's English Schools National Cross Country Championships

Stanford Hall, Leicestershire

Saturday 21st March 2009

THE 49th Boys and 41st Girls ESAA Sainsbury's English Schools National Cross Country Championship were held in the beautiful surroundings of the historic seventeenth century Stanford Hall Estate as the warm spring sunshine bathed the picturesque course that was switched from the original venue of Donington Park due to construction work taking place ahead of the 2010 Formula One Grand Prix.

This was the second time this winter season that Leicestershire has staged a major national schools championships having successfully held the Sainsbury's English Schools Cross Country National Cup Final at Shepshed back in December.

Star of the show at Stanford was arguably the hugely talented Emelia Gorecka, having won the Inter-Counties and the National cross-country trophies already this winter the 15-year-old was looking to secure the grand slam of domestic junior titles and came into the race with a quite remarkable winning streak of age-group victories stretching back over more than two-years.

Gorecka representing Team Surrey in her last year in the Under-15 age-group, part of coach Mick Woods powerful junior squad at Aldershot, Farnham & District a group that also includes the three-time European cross-country champion Steph Twell, was a comfortable winner in the opening race of the day taking a runaway 25 second victory in the Inter-Girls section ahead of West Yorkshire’s Lauren Proctor in a time of 15mins 12secs over the 4.1km course.

Gorecka also guided Surrey to the team title as the Leicestershire & Rutland squad comprising of Lucy Crookes (46th in 17:26), Freya Vincent (73rd in 17:54), Georgie Brookes (75th in 17:56), Lizzie Mellor (86th in 18:03), Emma Nutt (244th in 19:35) and Charlotte Cotter (267th in 19:52) secured a top-twenty place in 19th position.

Coventry Godiva Harrier Michael McKeown representing the West Midlands won the Junior Boys 4.1km title outpacing Fergus Roberts (North Yorkshire) by a margin of just seven seconds over the line in a time of 14:52. Greater Manchester claimed the team title as the Leicestershire & Rutland squad had only five athletes competing in the race and therefore did not qualify in the team standings - they were represented by Xander Tansey (48th in 16:06), River Hardy (106th in 16:35), James Nutt (144th in 16:45), Jonathan Monk (164th in 16:51) and Callum Jones (231st in 17:18).

Third race of the afternoon’s action was the Junior Girls 3.25km event where Jessica Judd of Essex improved on her fifth place finish in 2008 by winning the title in a time of 10:34 well clear of second placed Rebecca Knapton (Hampshire). Pre-race favourite and Inter-Counties winner Loren Bleaken (Wiltshire) finished 5th. Surrey won the team title as the Leicestershire & Rutland squad secured their highest placed finish of the championships with a fine 8th position with the team of Midlands champion Amy Griffiths (17th in 11:39), Megan Fairbrother (35th in 11:50), Emily Sales (53rd in 12:01), Emily Orton (103rd in 12:17), Somerby Hamdorff (124th in 12:24) and April Beeby (183rd in 12:42).

There was a very close finish the Inter-Boys 5.4km race as Richard Goodman of Middlesex claimed a tight victory by just three seconds to hold off the challenge of Tom Curr (Gloucestershire) and Danny Mills (Warwickshire) as only a seven second margin divided the top three with Goodman prevailing in 17:29. Surrey added another title to their impressive haul of silverware with team victory as Leicestershire & Rutland claimed 32nd place with their squad of Harry Bowley (97th in 19:30), Ashley Chambers (113th in 19:58), Luke Baxter (186th in 20:14), Jacob Kench (217th in 20:29), Laurent Robinson (238th in 20:42) and Jamie Short (258th in 20:52).

The blue ribband senior races were the last on the bill of competition; events that over the long history of the championships have witnessed a selection of Great Britain’s and the worlds top athletes claim the individual titles with Paula Radcliffe (1992) and Mo Farah (1997) listed in the role of honour over the past five decades.

In the 2009 edition of the Senior Girls 4.5km race Surrey’s Loulou Rowlands claimed the title to add her named to the impressive list of past champions. The 16-year-old Londoner, runner-up at the Under-15 Inter-Counties race in Nottingham, went one better at Stanford to take victory ahead of Hertfordshire’s Hannah Walker in a time of 17:32. Rowlands added this impressive win to the Surrey county schools title already won this winter. Kent won the team title ahead of Somerset with Leicestershire & Rutland securing a well-deserved 13th place with Blue Haywood leading the charge with a top-twenty finish in 18:52 combined with Lucy Hall (66th in 19:41), Amy Danaher (91st in 20:05), Zoe Hawkins (110th in 20:24), Lauren Hall (163rd in 21:15) and Frankie Glaister (195th in 21:43).

Ryan Parker representing Bedfordshire emerged as the champion of the Senior Boys 6.8km event to give himself an early birthday present as he turns 18 next week. This victory followed a very tight battle in one of the best races of the afternoon having been pushed all the way around the two-lap course by one of the pre-race favourites Paul Thompson (West Midlands) as the destination of the trophy came down to a sprint finish with Parker just edging ahead by a margin of two-seconds crossing the line in a time of 23:13 with team mate Daniel Clorley securing third in 23:26. Kent prevailed in the team event as the highly talented Sam Stabler, a fourth place finisher at the national championships at Parliament Hills, led the Leicestershire & Rutland squad to a fine 13th place finish combined with Josh Dixon (48th in 24:35), Liam Phelan (97th in 25:41), Sam Densham (140th in 26:17), Elliot Hart (157th in 26:29) and Tom Nutt (192nd in 26:52).

Report by Mark Woolley - Copyright athletics-leics.com

Full results are available on the following link:

Junior Boys

www.esaa.net/2009/xc/national/jb09.pdf

Inter Boys

www.esaa.net/2009/xc/national/ib09.pdf

Senior Boys

www.esaa.net/2009/xc/national/sb09.pdf

Junior Girls

www.esaa.net/2009/xc/national/jg09.pdf

Inter Girls

www.esaa.net/2009/xc/national/ig09.pdf

Senior Girls

www.esaa.net/2009/xc/national/sg09.pdf

Sainsbury’s English Schools Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships

Castle Park, Frodsham

Saturday 28th February 2009

MARI SMITH led the way for a trio of fine individual victories by Leicestershire & Rutland athletes with wins for Stefan Ashman and Ashley Chambers at the Sainsbury’s English Schools Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships held at Castle Park in Frodsham, Cheshire.

Mari Smith, a bronze medalist at the Sainsbury’s English Schools Cup final back in December claimed victory in the Minor Girls Year 7 race in the event which included teams representing the hosts Cheshire, West Midlands, Shropshire and Leicestershire as the 12-year-old from the Leicester Coritanian AC led a county 1-2 over the line with Loughborough High School team mate Jemima Green securing the runners-up position.

In the boys races the Leicester OWLS duo of Stefan Ashman and Ashley Chambers secured excellent victories at Junior and Inter levels respectively.
Full Results:
MINOR (YEAR 7) GIRLS
1 M SMITH LEICS 2 J GREEN CHESHIRE 3 A KENCHINGTON WS 4 A COLEMAN LEICS 4 SHROPSHIRE NS 5= G GARTSIDE LEICS 5= E WARD W MIDS 5= K MERRILL CHES 5= J PARSONS CHES 9 I BRADLEY SHROP 10 M REES W MIDS 11 S ELLISON CHES 12 E CARTER CHES 13 H KEENAN LEICS 14 I MITCHELL-JARVIS LEICS 15 L GOLLAND LEICS 16 L BRADLEY CHES 17 G PICKLES CHES 18 R HUGHES CHES 19 L HILLMAN W MIDS 20 E BOLLARD W MIDS 21 B ELLIS LEICS 22 H PERRY LEICS 23 K FRANKS CHES 24 G RODGERS W MIDS 25 B BURROWS CHES 26 P DODD W MIDS 27 E BEWICK W MIDS 28 S CURON SHROP 29 E NODEN CHES 30 D TUITE CHES 31 S VINGOE SHROP 32 H MELIA W MIDS 33 E CLARKE SHROP 34 M NORREY CHES 35 36 H CAMPION W MIDS 37 H JONES W 38 K GERRAED CHES
Teams:
1 Leicestershire 40, Cheshire 66, 3 West Midlands 81, 4 Shropshire NS
MINOR (YEAR 7) BOYS
1 L BURTHEM CHES 2 S WHITEHEAD CHES 3 C JONES SHROP 4 T MORRIS CHES 5 A McBRIEN W MIDS 6 J FORESTER SHROP 7 T WHEELER W MIDS 8 E NEVILLE CHES 9 K ORBRE W MIDS 10 F DOYLE W MIDS 11 J MORRIS SHROP 12 B CRAIG LEICS 13 B TAYLOR LEICS 14 A CHARLESWORTH SHROP 15 D VELLETTE W MIDS 16 M SHEEN CHES 17 F MARSHALL LEICS 18 T BIANCHI CHES 19 J WILLIAMSON SHROP 20 E BOWKER CHES 21 N MORRIS CHES 22 A BRAYBROOKES CHES 23 C HUDDFIELD W MIDS 24 A COX LEICS 25 M McLURE SHROP 26 G HALLIDAY CHES 27 O DODD W MIDS 28 T PALINE CHES 29 C LOWE CHES 30 A CLAY W MIDS 31 W SHEFFIELD W MIDS 32 I WILLIAMS LEICS 33 D GARDNER SHROP 34 J WILSON LEICS 35 A DUGMORE LEICS 36 S JOHNSON SHROP 37 D COPLEY LEICS 38 A SHAUGHNESSEY CHES 39 R KAAR W MIDS 40 A BRINE LEICS 41 B ROBINSON W MIDS 42 O PAYLEN W MIDS 43 44 45
Teams:
1 Cheshire 49, 2 West Midlands 69, 3 Shropshire 78, 4 Leicestershire 132
JUNIOR GIRLS
1 N RICHARDSON W MIDS 2 T McCORMICK CHES 3 T ABRAHAM LEICS 3 SHROPSHIRE 153 4 J EVANS CHES 5 E ORTON LEICS 6 L GRAY CHES 7= L TOWERS CHES 7= A BEEBY LEICS 9 K BENNETT CHES 10 L PESTANO W MIDS 11 J LEE CHES 12 C TILLIN LEICS 13 H BISHOP CHES 14 S PYATT CHES 15 J ASHFORD LEICS 16 R SMITH W MIDS 17 E BENTLEY SHROP 18 A PETTIT CHES 19 R BURROWS LEICS 20 J SOUTHAM LEICS 21 L MARSH LEICS 22 D TICKNER SHROP 23 G HARTIGAN W MIDS 24 M TURNER SHROP 25 R JAMES CHES 26 L DAVEY LEICS 27 B ELLIOTT LEICS 28 L DAVIES SHROP 29 C HEAHER CHES 30 L BATHERS SHROP 31 Z DE RIJK LEICS 32 S HOWELLS SHROP 33 Z PARTIDGE SHROP 34 E PYATT CHES 35 Y OAKLEY SHROP 36
Teams:
1 Cheshire 39, 2 Leicestershire 61, 3 Shropshire 153, 4 West Midlands NS
JUNIOR BOYS
1 S ASHMAN LEICS 2 J GLEAVE CHES 3 J VALLETTE W MIDS 4 R OWEN CHES 5 C WOODS W MIDS 6 S WATKINS W MIDS 7 R HARDY LEICS 8 M HULSE CHES 9 L HEALY CHES 10 Z BAMBER CHES 11 J MORRIS SHROP 12 N HARRIS W MIDS 13 L COCKERTON CHES 14 J HARESNAPE CHES 15 J COTTERILL SHROP 16 S ANETTS W MIDS 17 S DARBYSHIRE CHES 18 A HALLIWELL LEICS 19 J FLETCHER SHROP 20 J BARMBER CHES 21 B TOPLEY W MIDS 22 P STRADLING CHES 23 T LARCOMBE W MIDS 24 C COLEMAN LEICS 25 C STEVENSON LEICS 26 L STOCK LEICS 27 J FIELDING SHROP 28 D MLADENOVIC W MIDS 29 W RAWLINSON LEICS 30 S MOORE LEICS 31 D ROBERTSON LEICS 32 C SMITH CHES 33 H BUTRESS CHES 34 R MOORE CHES 35 B SIBLEY W MIDS 36 J McTIGHE LEICS 37 B ASHCROFT SHROP 38 E MALLETT SHROP 39 S POPE SHROP 40 J HALLIDAY SHROP
Teams:
1 Cheshire 46, 2 West Midlands 63, 3 Leicestershire 101, 4 Shropshire 147
INTER GIRLS
1 M HUXLEY CHES 2 C MILLS CHES 3 R JEFFERSON CHES 4 H GRANDFIELD SHROP 5 H CLIMO SHROP 6 H PAVER CHES 7 L ROUTLEDGE W MIDS 8 E WALKER SHROP 9 C MURPHY SHROP 10 B CHRISTY CHES 11 C BONEHAM W MIDS 12 K ZAMMITT W MIDS 13 E NUTT LEICS 14 C COTTER LEICS 15 C PERRY CHES 16 L MILLER CHES 17 C FOSTER CHES 18 C GAUKROGER CHES 19 K BLACKLEDGE LEICS 20 J SAUNDERS W MIDS 21 R MADDOCK LEICS 22 23 Z CARTER CHES 24 E TAYLOR LEICS 25 A GROOME SHROP 26 S BUTLER SHROP 27 T WHITE LEICS 28 S MACK SHROP 29
Teams:
1 Cheshire 37, 2 Shropshire 77, 3 Leicestershire 118, 4 West Midlands NS
INTER BOYS
1 A CHAMBERS LEICS 2 J ELLIS CHES 3 L HILTON CHES 4 L JOHNSTON CHES 5 D JACKSON CHES 6 L RENTON CHES 7 H BOWLEY LEICS 8 C MURRAY CHES 9 O CROSSLEY SHROP 10 R NIMMONS W MIDS 11 J VENABLES W MIDS 12 A RUSSELL SHROP 13 J COUZENS W MIDS 14 W BOURNE LEICS 15 J GERITY SHROP 16 S BAILIFF CHES 17 D HILLMAN W MIDS 18 M PONTIFEX CHES 19 T BUCKLEY SHROP 20 J HUNT W MIDS 21 L BAXTER LEICS 22 T RUSSELL CHES 23 G MALLETT SHROP 24 L ROBINSON LEICS 25 R HEATH SHROP 26 J SHORT LEICS 27 D RIBERIO W MIDS 28 W WALLACE SHROP 29 H MULLEN LEICS 30 A HORTON SHROP 31 S DYKES CHES 32 D HARESNAPE CHES 33 K SMITH W MIDS 34 R RADLEY LEICS 35 A McKAY SHROP 36 J WILKINS SHROP 37 C BENNETT CHES 38 M COMAN CHES 39 A TEAGLE W MIDS 40 G SALLETT SHROP 41 R SPENCER W
Teams:
1 Cheshire 28, 2 Leicestershire 93, 3 West Midlands 98, 4 Shropshire 103
SENIOR GIRLS
1 R COLE W MIDS 2 R CRAIGIE CHES 3 B HAYWOOD LEICS 4 A TALBOT CHES 5 K TITLOW CHES 6 K STRINGER CHES 7 N MEADOWS CHES 8 N HILLIKER SHROP 9 E BROWN LEICS 10 S GRIFFITHS CHES 11 K LIVER SHROP 12 J CRAIG LEICS 13 K HOWARD CHES 14 G MILTON LEICS 15 S AXFORD CHES 16 L HALL LEICS 17 M LLOYD SHROP 18 P EAYERS LEICS 19 B HARRIS SHROP 20 O ALADWARI SHROP 21 E JUDSON SHROP 22 L JACKSON CHES 23 A GREGORY SHROP 24 E YOUNG SHROP 25 H GODRICH LEICS
Teams:
1 Cheshire 34, 2 Leicestershire 72, 3 Shropshire 96, 4 West Midlands NS
SENIOR BOYS
1 M JACKSON CHES 2 P THOMPSON W MIDS 3 D CLIFFE CHES 4 H ELLIS CHES 3 SHROPSHIRE NS 5 A CLEWS CHES 6 L SMART LEICS 7 L PHELAN LEICS 8 S DENSHAM LEICS 9 A BEANEY CHES 10 J DIXON LEICS 11 E CROWTHER CHES 12 P CHATTERLEY W MIDS 13 J SIMPKINS W MIDS 14 D CALOW LEICS 15 M MELIA W MIDS 16 T NUTT LEICS 17 M BRIND LEICS 18 S PRICE CHES 19 J KINCH CHES 20 M MILSON LEICS 21 B JAROCKI SHROP 22 J PEGG LEICS 23 M GOUGH SHROP 24 S WARREN-SMITH SHROP 25 P WILSON W MIDS 26 A PERRY CHES 27 S JONES SHROP
Teams:
1 Cheshire 33, 2 Leicestershire 61, 3 West Midlands NS, 4 Shropshire NS

Wednesday 4th March 2009

LEICESTER Coritanians young guns secured a hatrick of individual titles, plus one team success and a sporting share of another, from the fifth and final 2008/09 West Midlands Young Athletes Cross-Country League held at Birmingham’s Perry Park on Sunday 1st March.

The outstanding Amy Griffiths became the first athlete in more than a dozen years to retain her under-13 title by completing her fifth victory.

That clean-sweep feat was repeated by Lucy Crookes, who led the Under-17 women to an overall team success.

In the boys events Xander Tansey made it a hat-trick of individual victories by achieving a must-win final-race victory.

The Coritanians Under-11 girls also shared their team trophy with Royal Sutton Coldfield, but only after an act of sportsmanship from their rivals.

Following two squads finishing level on a total of 4,656 points, Royal Sutton Coldfield won the trophy on countback.

However, their team manager sportingly insisted that, as Coritanians had pushed them all the way, they share the title and the trophy.
Over a fairly fast course and in mild spring conditions, Eleanor Long spearheaded the Under-11 girls challenge by claiming fifth place for second position in the series.

At Under-13 girls level, Griffiths was put under some pressure from Birchfield's Ellie Howatt but made a decisive break with 400 metres to go to win by a margin of 11 seconds, leading the squad to team bronzes.

Like Griffiths, Under-17 Crookes remained undefeated in her series after going clear with about 800m left. Outstanding team packing ensured that all four Coritanian athletes finished in the top twenty places.

Tansey had to win the final Under-13 boys race to become the league champion, and achieved this with a solid performance.

Several of the Coritanians squad will now look towards competing for Leicestershire & Rutland junior teams at the 2009 McCain UK Challenge Inter-Counties meeting at Nottingham’s Wollaton Park on Saturday 7th March.

Sunday 1st March 2009

THE trials for the teams to represent the East Midlands region at the 2009 adidas London Mini Marathon that takes place on Sunday 26th April were held at Nottingham’s Holme Pierrepont National Water Sports Centre, the full results are listed below.

The top 6 athletes in each of the categories have gained automatic selection for the race that will take place over a three mile long course starting at Old Billingsgate and will finish in The Mall underneath the Flora London Marathon gantry.

Previous winners of the adidas Mini London Marathon include Beijing Olympians Mo Farah and three-time junior European cross country champion Steph Twell. Paralympians Shelly Woods and David Weir are also past winners of the Mini Wheelchair London Marathon.

Members of the selected teams will travel together by coach from a central pick up point, to London on the 25th April. They will have an overnight stay and travel to the race start for 9am on Sunday 26th April.

After the Mini Marathon events they will return about 1pm. All traveling, accommodation, kit, and meals will be provided. Full details of all the arrangements will be given out at the race on the 1st March 2009.
Full Results:
11-12 Boys
-1-125-James Shaw-Ashfield-Notts-13.54
-2-124-James Hatton-Roundhill CC-Leics-14.15
-3-136-Sam Johnson-Minster-Notts-19
-4-117-Dominic Chambers-St John Houghton-Derbys-29
-5-103-Alexander Rieley-St Peters Primary-Notts-33
-6-104-Bailey Wardle-Manor -Notts-40
-7-106-Benjamin Collins-Becket-Notts-57
-8-131-Lewis Ashmore-All Saints-Notts-15.12
-9-144-Zachary Meakin-St Peters Cofe Primary-Leics-38
-10-116-Declan Dickinson-Morton Trentside Primary-Lincs-41
-11-138-Sam Sadler-John Port-Derbys-45
-12-122-Hugo Milner-St Marys RC Primary-Derbys-50
-13-139-Samuel Grief-Willington Primary-Derbys-51
-14-129-Joshua Smith-Redmoor HS-Leics-16.00
-15-128-Joseph Williams-Trinity -Notts-06
-16-133-Louis Diamond-Milton Parochial-N'hants-09
-17-110-Christopher Arnold-Gartree HS-Leics-15
-18-113-Conor Moreland-De Lisle CSC-Leics-23
-19-120-George Smedley-Castle-Buxton CS-Derbys-24
-20-126-James Whitfield-Chellaston-Derbys-40
-21-119-Elliott Goddard-Notts HS-Notts-52
-22-137-Sam Pitts-Friesland-Derbys-56
-23-141-Samuel Stevens-St Michael & All Angels-Leics-17.53
-24-114-Daniel Appleby-Redlands-Notts-58
-25-135-Ross Flint-Buxton CS-Derbys-18.06
-26-121-Hamish Llewelyn-Notts HS-Notts-28
-27-142-Simon Arnold-Manor HS-Leics-19.20
11-12 Girls
-1-154-Bo Haywood-Tuxford-Notts-14.46
-2-163-Emma Rata-Uppingham College-Leics-15.15
-3-155-Catrina Thomas-Priory Academy-Lincs-19
-4-180-Molly Johnson-Minster-Notts-23
-5-150-Abigail Morrow-Harris-Oundle & Kingscliffe-N'hants-28
-6-166-Georgia Bevins-Manor HS-Leics-38
-7-168-Georgia Gartside-Ivanhoe Tech-Leics-39
-8-177-Lucy Golland-John Ferneley-Leics-43
-9-160-Emily Hollis-Long Field -Leics-16.00
-10-181-Molly Mee-Mill Hill-Derbys-11
-11-162-Emily Wass-Tibshelf CS-Derbys-19
-12-152-Bethan Scott-Wreake Valley College-Leics-29
-13-169-Holly Bevins-Manor HS-Leics-37
-14-159-Ellen McNeelance-St Crispins-Leics-51
-15-167-Georgia Clarke-Good Shepherd Pirimary-Notts-17.43
-16-182-Shannon Colley-Friesland-Derbys-46
-17-157-Charlotte Peach-Tuxford-Notts-48
-18-179-Martha Clapp-Meadowdale Primary-Leics-50
-19-156-Charlotte Allerton-Buxton CS-Derbys-18.04
-20-153-Bethany Twigge-Buxton CS-Derbys-06
-21-183-Sophie Quince-Bishop Pursglove-Derbys-07
-22-171-Jade Ashmore-Burbage Primary-Derbys-19
-23-164-Emma Sunderland-West Bridgford-Notts-20
-24-175-Lauren Ashmore-Burbage Primary-Derbys-28
-25-173-Laura Hindle-Ilkeston SAC-Derbys-19.38
-26-178-Lucy Sterland-Welland Park-Leics-54
-27-161-Emily Teniola-Meadowdale Primary-Leics-20.47
-28-172-Kerri Potter-Crookes-Ilkeston SAC-Derbys-21.36
-29-184-Tia Gibson-Market Bosworth HS-Leics-45
-30-165-Gabrielle McNeelance-Gaddesby Primary-Leics-52
13-14 Boys
-1-233-Matthew Williams-Nottingham Bluecoat-Notts-16.40
-2-218-James Nutt-Lutterworth HS-Leics-54
-3-215-Jacob Kench-Lutterworth C-Leics-55
-4-223-Jordan Smith-Netherthorpe-Derbys-59
-5-227-Logan Roberts-Daventry William Parker-N'hants-17.04
-6-235-Paddy Clark-Becket-Notts-13
-7-242-Thomas Wragg-Joseph Whitaker-Notts-17
-8-241-Thomas Shepherd-St John Houghton-Derbys-46
-9-208-David Narborough-Ecclesbourne-Derbys-55
-10-232-Matthew Smith-Central Tech & Sports C-Lincs-18.07
-11-226-Linton Taylor-The Kings-Lincs-14
-12-221-Jim Payne-Wreake Valley College-Leics-21
-13-206-Charlie Howick-South Wolds-Notts-33
-14-211-Harry Foster-Friesland-Derbys-44
-15-217-Jake Lancaster-Tibshelf CS-Derbys-19.19
-16-204-Benjamin Gray-Manor HS-Leics-38
-17-236-Phillip Maddocks-Humphrey Perkins HS-Leics-46
-18-229-Marco Storino-Market Bosworth HS-Leics-20.02
-19-220-Jerome Richards-Swanwick Hall-Derbys-09
-20-209-David Shepherd-St John Houghton-Derbys-21
-21-202-Ben Barsby-Eastwood Comp-Notts-32
-22-213-Henry Carnill-Notts HS-Notts-44
-23-243-Timothy Mulvaney-Loughborough Grammar-Leics-50
-24-203-Benjamin Abbott-Arnold Hill-Notts-51
-25-214-Jack Clarke-Buxton CS-Derbys-21.16
-26-245-William Kirk-Burleigh CC-Leics-22.04
-27-222-Jonathan Owen-John Port-Derbys-23.32
-28-244-Vincet Sparham-Redmoor HS-Leics-27.50
13-14 Girls
-1-257-Codie Marsh-Valley Comp-Notts-17.51
-2-274-Sophie Coldwell-South Wolds-Notts-18.41
-3-255-Celine Bangay-Stamford HS-Lincs-54
-4-260-Emma Erskine-Highfields-Derbys-19.03
-5-251-Alice Cobb-Nottingham Girls HS-Notts-18
-6-250-Agnes Milner-Ockbrook-Derbys-29
-7-268-Kimberley Jalland-South Wolds-Notts-38
-8-263-Hannah Hardy-Toot Hill-Notts-20.03
-9-252-Amy Mellor-Lady Manners-Derbys-28
-10-269-Lizzie Golland-John Ferneley-Leics-28
-11-254-Bethany Scotney-Kesteven & Grantham GS-Lincs-29
-12-271-Natasha Lindley-Buxton CS-Derbys-31
-13-261-Evie Keane-Littleover CS-Derbys-49
-14-253-Becki Clarke-Kesteven & Grantham GS-Lincs-21.21
-15-259-Emily Appleby-Valley Comp-Notts-32
-16-264-India Hasnip-Trinity -Notts-40
-17-275-Vicky Argyle-All Saints-Notts-58
-18-258-Ellie-Mae Wilson-Stonehill HS-Leics-22.06
-19-272-Sarah Bennett-Campion-N'hants-57
-20-262-Grace Foster-Friesland-Derbys-23.10
-21-265-Jessica Bridge-Friesland-Derbys-27.59
-22-267-Katrina Shilladay-Redmoor HS-Leics-28.34
15-17 Boys
-1-302-Benjamin Norris-Arnold Hill-Notts-14.34
-2-301-Ben Connor-Swanwick Hall-Derbys-15.08
-3-328-Niall Maguire-Wilsthorpe College-Notts-34
-4-338-Tom Collins-Becket-Notts-40
-5-321-Jonathan Goringe-Bishop Stopford-N'hants-52
-6-315-Jake Harrison-Rawlings Community C-Leics-16.02
-7-320-Joe Rainsford-Heanor Gate Science C-Derbys-18
-8-308-Daniel Winter-Dayncourt-Notts-22
-9-325-Liam Phelan-Groby Community C-Leics-42
-10-336-Stephen Maddocks-Rawlings Community C-Leics-52
-11-310-Freddie Hessian-Rushcliffe-Notts-17.04
-12-311-George Buttery-Ashby -Leics-08
-13-305-Christopher Rushworth-Buxton CS-Derbys-16
-14-322-Joshua Slingsby-Longslade CC-Leics-34
-15-314-Henry Partridge-Colonel Frank Seely-Notts-36
-16-309-Dougie Musson-Bramcote Hills-Notts-18.09
-17-317-Jamie Randle-Eckington-Derbys-11
-18-319-Jasvinder Clarke-Dhadli-Beauchamp College-Leics-13
-19-329-Oliver Carrington-Kings Grantham-Lincs-37
-20-313-Harry Handley-Notts HS-Notts-19.11
-21-312-Gregory Webb-Longslade CC-Leics-48
-22-331-Ryan Lloyd-John Cleveland C-Leics-50
-23-335-Scott Griffin-Grantham College-Lincs-22.51
15-17 Girls
-1-370-Tamara Armoush-Belper-Derbys-16.49
-2-353-Blue Haywood-Loughborough College-Leics-17.05
-3-369-Nicole Roberts-Bishop Stopford-N'hants-12
-4-350-Abbie Vernon-St Marys RC HS-Derbys-34
-5-359-Freya Vincent-Guthlaxton College-Leics-37
-6-354-Calli Thackery-Eckington-Derbys-54
-7-367-Lori Marshall-Alfreton Grange Arts C-Derbys-18.12
-8-365-Lara Thomas-Priory Academy-Lincs-25
-9-356-Elizabeth Mellor-De Lisle CSC-Leics-31
-10-358-Emily Fisher-Tupton Hall-Derbys-32
-11-360-Georgia Ball-William Farr-Lincs-19.54
-12-368-Lucy Arkinstall-Ashby -Leics-20.47
-13-361-Gina Radford-Carlton Le Willows-Notts-21.46
-14-351-Alice Rowland-Beauchamp College-Leics-51

www.minimarathon.co.uk/

Tuesday 24th February 2009

OVER two hundred and fifty athletes competed in the Ivanhoe Robins Annual Junior XC event at Foremark Reservoir on Sunday 22nd February.

Despite cloudy skies and biting winds the rain held off and the young runners enjoyed a great venue with a varied course. Richard Whitehead (A Paralympic athlete and marathon runner) from Sporting Heroes was on hand to inspire the competitors and also presented the prizes along with a representative from Aldi the events sponsors.

The Ivanhoe Challenge has become a prestigious event for the District and attracted strong competition with a quality field from many of the Midlands major clubs. The Robins were undaunted, however, and the host club walked away with no less than 7 individual medals.

First to celebrate were George Shephard and Sam Ehlan who fought hard to take 2nd and 3rd place in the Yr 1\2 boy’s race. Faith Dowdy then claimed 2nd place in the Yr3\4 girls with a superb sprint finish. Lucy Arkinstall achieved the first win of the day in the year 9 and 10 girl’s race with Stephen Watson following suit in the boy’s year 11 and over. Hannah Cox and Georgia Gartside both stormed home well ahead of the field in the 5\6 girls and 7\8 girls respectively despite both competing in the XC Nationals at Parliament Hill the previous day!

The Robins also won 5 team prizes. Faith Dowdy, Kate Riley and Millie Shaw were runners up in the Year3\4 girl’s event. Nathan Lewis, Zach Meakin and Oliver Evans all had strong runs to take the 2nd team prize in the year 5\6 boys. Hannah Cox, Harriet Roberts and Lucy Roberts won the 2nd team prize for the 5\6 girls. The Year 7\8 girls achieved the double. All ran well to win both team prizes with the Robins A team Georgia Gartside, Ellie Shaw and Lauren Landsdown taking 1st place and Abby Williamson, Paige Brown and Molly Harper claiming 2nd place.

Above photo: Ivanhoe Robins Year 7 girls winning team of Georgia Gartside, Ellie Shaw and Lauren Lansdown pictured with Richard Whitehead.

Full Results are available on the Robins website: www.ivanhoerobins.co.uk

Wednesday 18th February 2009

LAURA SAMUEL gave herself an 18th birthday present four days early by unleashing a spectacularly explosive last round effort of 12.40 metres which perplexed even her to win the triple jump Under-20 gold at the 2009 Aviva England Athletics Open Under 20, 17 & 15 Indoor Championships.

The winner of last summer’s British Schools International match, Cannock and Stafford AC’s Gemma Smith looked the probable winner of the event after entering new territory by twice going over 12 metres in the fourth and fifth rounds of the competition. However Leicester’s Samuel produced a stunning final attempt of 12.40 metres to claim victory.

“Where did that come from?” asked the new champion after being awarded her gold medal by the former World, European and Commonwealth champion Ashia Hansen.

Full results are available on the following link: www.athletics-uk.net/results.htm

Tuesday 10th February 2009

THE Leicestershire & Rutland boys teams to compete at the 2008/09 McCain UK Cross Challenge Inter-Counties Championship that will be staged at Nottingham’s Wollaton Park on Saturday 7th March have been announced.

The team manager for the event is Wayne Walker - teams are not necessarily listed in pen order for the race start.
Full Teams:
Under 13
Z Tansey
J Hatton
L Mathers
C Stevenson
S Moore
S Elliot
W Rawlinson
B Craig
Reserves
S Mabley
P Maddocks
G Jones
Under 15
J Kench
J Nutt
D Freeman
R Radley
S Ashman
C Parkes-Bowen
H Mullen
J Monk
Reserves
H Buttery
J Cox
P Mills
Under 17
D Hallam
S Stabler
G Buttery
A Chambers
J Harrison
E Hart
P Radley
L Smart
Reserves
L Phelan
S Densham
D Callow
S Maddocks

Can all those athletes listed (including reserves) please outline your availability ASAP to Wayne Walker e-mail: waynejwalker@hotmail.com or Tel: 07973824638.

The 2008/09 McCain UK Cross Challenge incorporating the UK Inter-Counties Championships and the IAAF World Cross Country Trials take place on Saturday 7th March 2009 at Wollaton Park, Nottingham, and will be shown live on Sky Sports. www.uka.org.uk/competitions/uk-cross-challenge/cross-challenge-final/

Wednesday 4th February 2009

THE 2009 Leicestershire & Rutland County Cross Country Championships were held at the John Cleveland College, Hinckley, on Saturday 31st January.

The senior girls' race was won by international junior triathlete Lucy Hall, she ran strongly throughout to secure her place in the County squads for the All England Schools Championships in March.

The first two finishers in the junior, intermediate and senior races all gained automatic selection for the national event, with discretionary selections yet to be made.

In the boys intermediate section Loughborough Grammar, led by individual winner Will Bourne and runner-up Harry Bowley, took the team honours from Lutterworth College and third-placed Oakham.

In the senior boys race, Michael Brind, from Burleigh Sports College, was a clear winner and Elliot Hart, from Ratcliffe, took the runners-up position followed by Scott Baxter, of Ashby.

In the younger boys' age-groups, James Hatton finished the season unbeaten in local schools competition by winning from S Mabey, of Lutterworth, and Ben Craig from Hastings.

De Lisle were clear winners of the team race after packing their counting six between seventh and 30th.

Xander Tansey continued his recent fine form by winning the year-eight boys' race and, in the team competition, Lutterworth High squeezed home by one point from Loughborough Grammar.

In the year-nine boys' race, James Nutt added the County Schools title to his impressive list of wins this season and he remains unbeaten in Leicestershire since September.

In the girls' races, there were some closely-fought battles but not at year-seven level where Loughborough High achieved the rare feat of taking all three individual medals via winner Mari Smith, runner-up Alice Murfitt and third-placed Jemima Green.

With a fourth scorer in 14th spot, their team total of only 20 points could be a record. Manor High were second with 39 points, another terrific team performance which in most years would have been good enough to win the race.

The race of the day was at junior girls' level. Amy Griffiths led from the start but was not able to break clear as Emily Sales challenged constantly and it was only on the final uphill stretch that Griffiths finally managed to open a decisive gap.

Loughborough High won the team title from Leysland placing their four scoring runners in the first 14 to complete a league and county double.

The intermediate girls race was also closely fought, with Freya Vincent throwing down the gauntlet to Lucy Crookes, who eventually managed to exert pressure of her own to open up a winning gap.

Vincent faded on the last uphill and was overtaken by Georgie Brookes who had paced her race well.
Full Results:
Year 7 Girls
1 M. Smith - Loughborough HS
2 A. Murfitt - Loughborough HS
3 J. Green - Loughborough HS
4 E. Hollis - Longfield HS
5 G. Gartside - Ivanhoe School
6 H. Keenan - Manor HS
7 H. Perry - Manor HS
8 A. Coleman - Welland Park
9 L. Golland - John Ferneley HS
10 G. Bevins - Manor HS
11 I. Mitchell-Jarvis - Lutterworth HS
12 B. Ellis - Welland Park
13 C. Atkins - Lutterworth HS
14 A. Zair - Loughborough HS
15 (Not Declared)
16 H. Bevins - Manor HS
17 L. Bramwell - Loughborough HS
18 A. Fuller - Lutterworth HS
19 S. Lewis - Hastings HS
20 M. Griffith - Brockington CC
Team:
1 Loughborough HS 20 points ( 1, 2, 3, 14 )
2 Manor HS 39 points ( 6, 7, 10, 16 )
3 Lutterworth HS 63 points ( 11, 13, 18, 21 )
4 Welland Park 84 points ( 8,12, 25, 39 )
5 De lisle ‘A’ 108 points
6 De Lisle ‘B’ 147 points
Junior Girls
1 A. Griffiths - Bushloe HS
2 E. Sales Mount - Grace HS
3 M. Fairbrother - Leysland HS
4 T. Abrahams - Oakham School
5 A. Beeby - Leysland HS
6 S. Handorff - Oakham HS
7 J. Ashford - Loughborough HS
8 E. Orton - Hastings HS
9 L. Tansey - Bushloe HS
10 R. Borrows - Abington HS
11 Z. De Rijk - Loughborough HS
12 J. Southam - Belvoir HS
13 I. Hill - Oakham School
14 S. Wilkinson - Loughborough HS
15 C. Tillin - Heathfield HS
16 L. Davey - Loughborough HS
17 L. Jones - John Fernely HS
18 B. Elliott - Hastings HS
19 B. Saunders - Leysland HS
20 L. Golland - John Ferneley HS
Team:
1 Loughborough HS 36 points ( 4, 7, 11, 14 )
2 Leysland HS 56 points ( 3, 5, 19, 29 )
3 Loughborough HS ‘B’ 103 points ( 16, 22, 26, 39 )
4 John Ferneley HS 109 points ( 17, 20, 34, 38 )
5 Lutterworth HS 110 points ( 21, 23, 31, 35 )
Inter Girls
1 L. Crookes - Loughborough HS
2 G. Brookes - Oakham School
3 F. Vincent - Guthlaxton College
4 B. Bendle - King Edward V11 Melton
5 L. Mellor - De Lisle
6 E. Nutt - Rawlins College
7 C. Cotter - Uppingham CC
8 N. Timson - John Cleveland College
9 E. Jones - De Lisle
10 R. Maddock - Leicester Grammar
11 E. Taylor - The Robert Smyth School
12 T. White - John Cleveland College
13 I. Perry - Hind Leys College
No Team completed
Senior Girls
1 L. Hall - Lutterworth College
2 Z. Hawkins - Burleigh Sport College
3 A. Danaher - De Lisle
4 F. Glaister - Lutterworth College
5 J. Craig - Oakham School
6 J. Edge - Lutterworth College
7 G. McNeil-Walsh - Oakham School
8 P. Eayrs - King Edward V11
9 B. Green - Oakham School
10 H. Godrich - John Cleveland College
Team:
1 Lutterworth College 11 points ( 1, 4, 6 )
2 Oakham School 21 points ( 5, 7, 9 )
Year 7 Boys
1 J. Hatton - Roundhill
2 S. Mabey - Lutterworth HS
3 B. Craig - Hastings HS
4 N. Lawson - Lutterworth HS
5 F. Marshall - Oakham School
6 R. Moulding - Loughborough GS
7 A. Brine - De Lisle
8 A. Cox - Lutterworth HS
9 O. Spencer - De Lisle
10 B. Taylor - Brockington
11 J. Wilson - John Ferneley
12 A. Dugmore - Shepshed HS
13 J. Clark - Brockington
14 M. Shatford - De Lisle
15 D. Copley - Belvoir HS
16 L. Morandi - De Lisle
17 C. Moreland - De Lisle
18 C. Hart - Ratcliffe College
19 H. Turner - Brookvale HS
20 R. Taylor - Kibworth H
Team:
1 De Lisle 93 points (7, 9, 14, 16, 17, 30 )
2 Loughborough GS 138 points ( 6, 21, 24, 25, 28, 31 )
3 John Ferneley HS 171 points ( 11, 23, 24, 34, 39, 40 )
4 Shepshed HS 207 points ( 12, 29, 36, 37, 46, 47
Year 8 Boys
(Results Selected from Junior Boys - Years 8 & 9 Combined – Race)
1. X. Tansey - Bushloe HS
2 L. Stock - Shepshed HS
3 D. Robertson - Lutterworth HS
4 L. Mathers - Kibworth HS
5 C. Stevenson - Shepshed HS
6 S. Moore - Loughborough GS
7 P. Maddocks - Humphrey Perkins HS
8 W. Rawlinson - Loughborough GS
9 H. O’Dowd - Brockington
10 J. Williams - Kibworth HS
11 T. Mulvaney - Loughborough GS
12 G. Borthwick - Oakham School
13 (26th in whole race) - Lutterworth HS
14 (29th in whole race) - Lutterworth HS
15 (31st in whole race) - Lutterworth HS
16 H. Short (33rd in whole race) - Leicester GS
17 B. Gray (34th in whole race) - Manor HS
Team:
1 Lutterworth HS 94 points ( 8, 26, 29, 31 )
2 Loughborough GS 95 points ( 14, 16, 23, 42 )
3 Shepshed HS 114 points ( 7, 12, 47, 48 )
4 Leysland HS 236 points ( 43, 62, 65, 66)
Year 9 Boys
(Results Selected from Junior Boys - Years 8 & 9 Combined – Race)
1 J. Nutt - Lutterworth HS
2 J. Monk - Kibworth HS
3 A. Halliwell (4th in overall race) - Loughborough GS
4 C. Jones (5th in overall race) - Belvoir HS
5 R. Hardy (6th in overall race) - Shepshed HS
6 J. McTighe (9th in overall race) - Leysland HS
7 J. Pope (13th in overall race) - John Ferneley
8 C. Coleman (17th in overall race) - Welland Park
9 R. Ashton (18th in overall race) - Leysland HS
10 J. King (20th overall in race) - Belvoir HS
11 (22nd in overall race) - Longfield HS
12 S. Furey (25th in overall race) - Uppingham CC
13 (27th in overall race) - Loughborough GS
14 L. Tapper (28th in overall race) - Shepshed HS
Inter Boys
1 W. Bourne - Loughborough GS
2 H. Bowley - Loughborough GS
3 L. Baxter - Ashby School
4 J. Short - Leicester GS
5 N. McSharry - Lutterworth College
6 D. Ogg - Loughborough GS
7 (Not Declared)
8 O. Holland - Oakham School
9 L. Robinson - King Edward V11 Melton
10 E. Nutt - Lutterworth College
11 (Not Declared)
12 T. Shelbourn - Oakham School
13 M. Watson - Lutterworth College
14 R. Blake - Oakham School
15 (Not Declared)
16 J. Tambini - De Lisle
17 (Not Declared)
18 J .Dhadin Beauchamp
19 (Not Declared)
20 J. Appleby King - Edward V11 Melton
(NB: Elliott Hart finished 1st but should have been in the Senior Boys’ race.)
Team:
1 Loughborough GS 12 ( 2, 3, 7 )
2 Lutterworth College 31 ( 6, 11, 14 )
3 Oakham School 37 ( 9, 13, 15 )
4 King Edward V11 MM 54 ( 10, 21, 23 )
De Lisle 66 ( 17, 22, 27 )
Senior Boys
1 M. Brind Burleigh - Sports College
2 S. Baxter - Ashby School
3 S. Densham - Burleigh Sports College
4 A. Blaza - Oakham School
5 T. Nutt - Lutterworth College
6 S. Maddocks - Rawlins College
7 J. Dossett - Loughborough GS
8 T. Grigalis - Loughborough GS
9 J. Pegg - Rutland College
10 E. Foxall - Loughborough GS
Team:
1 Loughborough GS 25 points (7, 8, 10)

Results courtesy of Beacon Hill Striders and the Leicestershire & Rutland Secondary Schools Cross-Country League: www.beaconhillstriders.co.uk/

Saturday 31st January 2009

THE Leicestershire & Rutland girls teams to compete at the 2008/09 McCain UK Cross Challenge Inter-Counties Championship that will be staged at Nottingham’s Wollaton Park on Saturday 7th March have been announced.

The team manager for the event is Paul Blissett - teams are not necessarily listed in pen order for the race start. The 8th member of the U15 girls team will be either Joni Ashford or Lizzie Mellor subject to fitness and current form or one of the 3 listed reserves if either athletes are unavailable.

If any reserves are needed the team manager will also consider performances at the 2009 Saucony English National Cross Country Championships that take place at Parliament Hills, London, on Saturday 21st February before making a final decision as particularly at U13 level there is very little dividing the girls based on current form.
Full Teams:
Under 13
Amy Griffiths
Mari Smith
Georgia Gartside
Rachel Borrows
Chloe Tillin
Livvy Tansey
Jemima Green
Hannah Cox
Reserves
India Mitchell-Jarvis
Emily Hollis
Jasmine Southam
Lucy Golland
Under 15
Freya Vincent
Georgie Brookes
Emily Sales
Megan Fairbrother
April Beeby
Tilly Abraham
Emily Orton
Lizzie Mellor (Subject to availability.)
Joni Ashford (Subject to availability.)
Reserves
Kim Jalland
Zoe DeRijk
Lizzie Golland
Under 17
Lucy Crookes
Louisa Monk
Emma Brown
Briony Bendle
Amy Danaher
Catherine Robertson
Katya Blackledge
Jenny Smith
Reserves
Charlotte Wilkinson-Burnett
Sarah Ward
Jessica Edge
Tania White

The 2008/09 McCain UK Cross Challenge incorporating the UK Inter-Counties Championships and the IAAF World Cross Country Trials take place on Saturday 7th March 2009 at Wollaton Park, Nottingham, and will be shown live on Sky Sports. www.uka.org.uk/competitions/uk-cross-challenge/cross-challenge-final/

Friday 30th January 2009

SOUTH Charnwood High's Hannah Cox completed a perfect four-year record in the Leicestershire Primary Schools Cross-Country League by carrying off the year-six girls' title.

Her two victories in this season's curtailed programme took her tally of league victories to an incredible 11 from 11 races.

She was one of nearly 3,500 youngsters who contested the first two races of the current campaign – a figure that suggested the league were going to surpass the magic total of 5,000 competitors for a third consecutive year.

But adverse weather conditions forced the cancellation of the last race of the season at Western Park, and so individual and league standings were decided on the first two races.

Without the deciding third race, several individual titles were shared.

Year-three girls Ellen Gibbs (St Peters RC) and Tess Fisher (Claybrook) were rewarded for their performances in their debut season, and Annie McAllister (Claybrook) and Sophie Domingo (St. Cuthberts) tied for top spot in year four, moving up from second and third last season. Sam Elliott (Burbage) won his third title but had to share this one with year-six rival Harvey Barnes (Greenfield).

With victories in the opening two races, year-three Harry Allen (Fleckney) and year-four Marcus Rowland (Brownlow) collected winner's trophies, while Lucy Jones (Martinshaw) secured her first league title at the expense of last year's champion Elizabeth Mulvaney (Holywell) and Rachel Fisher (Claybrook).

Ben Dijkstra (Burton on the Wolds) dominated year five to land his third individual title.

On the team front, Kestrels Field, whose squad took up running only last September after being introduced to the sport by new teacher Catherine Draper, recorded their first team triumph in the year-six girls' medium schools section.

Greenfield (year-five girls' large schools) and Manor, completing a hat-trick of wins in the year-six girls' high school league, were the only schools to retain trophies.

The Joey Masterson Trophy for the best overall team based on the aggregate score of all year-five and year-six results, went to Greenfield Primary (Countesthorpe) who edged Leicester Grammar and Burbage Junior.
Leading Results:
Year 3 Girls:
1= Ellen Gibbs (St Peter's RC, Hinckley), Tess Fisher (Claybrooke) 5pts, 3 Jocelyn Parkes-Bowen (Fleckney) 7, 4 Lottie Edwards (Ridgeway) 8, 5 Connie-May Roper (John Wycliffe) 18
Year 4 Girls:
1= Annie McAllister (Claybrooke) , Sophie Domingo (St Cuthberts) 4pts, 3 Jessica Claxton (Red Hill Field) 6, 4 Lisa Elliott(Red Hill Field) 10, 5 Grace Scott (Hallaton) 12
Year 5 Girls:
1 Lucy Jones (Martinshaw) 3pts, 2= Elizabeth Mulvaney (Holywell), Rachel Fisher (Claybrooke) 5, 4 Laura Mullin (Mountfields Lodge) 7, 5 Sophie Baker (Sketchley Hill) 11
Year 6 Girls:
1 Hannah Cox (South Charnwood HS) 2pts, 2 Eleanor Long (Claybrooke) 4, 3 Shannon Anderson (Greenfield) 7, 4 Niamh Kirk (Manor High School) 9, 5 Ella Merrikin (Badgerbrook) 10
Year 3 Boys:
1 Harry Allen (Fleckney) 2pts, 2 Christopher Nealon (Elizabeth Woodville) 5, 3 Isaac Lakin (St John the Baptist) 10, 4= Ben Godsiff (Leicester Grammar), Scott Cragg (Brownlow) 13
Year 4 Boys:
1 Marcus Rowland (Brownlow) 2pts, 2 Teddy Coleman (Queniborough) 5, 3 Edward Coles (Leicester Grammar) 8, 4= Cameron Jones (Birstall Highcliffe), Oliver Slingsby (Oxley), Joseph Callery (The Hall) 12
Year 5 Boys:
1 Ben Dijkstra (Burton-on-the-Wolds) 2pts, 2 Alfie Thompson (Seagrave) 4, 3= Edward Thomas (Wymeswold), Daniel Cole (Gilmorton) 11, 5 Bryn Williams (Church Langton) 13.
Year 6 Boys:
1= Sam Elliott (Burbage), Harvey Barnes (Greenfield) 3pts, 3= Sam Edwards (Ridgeway), Joshua Knight (Fleckney) 7, 5 Luke Beeby (Thistly Meadow) 10
Teams:
Year 5 Girls
Small schools: 1 Burton on the Wolds 317pts, 2 Harby 383, 3 S Kilworth 537. Medium schools: 1 St Peters RC 208, 2 Leicester Grammar 211, 3 Blaby Stokes 215. Large schools: 1 Greenfield 110, 2 Kibworth 122, 3 St John the Baptist 160
Year 5 Boys
Small schools: 1 Wymeswold 232, 2 Billesdon 269, 3 Cosby 297. Medium schools: 1 Kirby Muxloe 101, 2 Lady Jane Gray 244, 3 Church Langton 273. Large schools: 1 Sketchley Hill 123, 2 Brownlow 216, 3 Burbage 322
Year 6 Girls
Small schools: 1 Claybrooke 273, 2 St Pauls, Woodhouse 438, 3 St Andrews, N Kilworth 468. Medium schools: 1 Kestrels Field 246, 2 Ridgeway 255, 3 Leicester Grammar 274. Large schools: 1 Greenfield 71, 2 Fleckney 158, 3 Burbage 220. High schools: 1 Manor 119, 2 Bushloe 342, 3 Shepshed 409
Year 6 Boys
Small schools: 1 Burton-on-the-Wolds 238, 2 Claybrooke 322, 3 Harby 492. Medium schools: 1 Ridgeway 112, 2 Leicester Grammar 208, 3 St Peters, Mkt Bosworth 275. Large schools: 1 Badgerbrook 226, 2 Sketchley Hill 292, 2 Fleckney 292. High schools: 1 Bushloe 233, 2 Shepshed 416, 3 S Charnwood 583

2009 Midlands Territorial Cross Country Championships

Junior Female Races - Berry Hill Park, Mansfield

Saturday 24th January 2009

PERFORMANCE of the day for Leicestershire county athletes at the 2009 Midlands Territorial Cross Country Championships came from the highly talented Amy Griffiths as the Coritanian star stormed to an excellent six-second victory in the Under-13 Girls race at Mansfield’s Berry Hill Park.

Over the single lap 3km event Griffiths faced strong opposition from Staffordshire’s Louise Baker and Nicole Bailey representing Halesowen, however, it was Griffiths who held her form and focus to cross the line to lead the massive field of 119 athletes taking a superb victory in a time of 11mins 43secs.

Griffith’s fine performance combined with team mates, English Schools Cup bronze-medalist Mari Smith (7th in 12:16), Jemima Green (21st in 12:50), Rachel Burrows (24th in 12:52) and Katy Townsend secured the Leicester club the silver medals in the team event as Mansfield Harriers claimed a fine gold with Halesowen third on the podium.

Leicester also claimed excellent team gold and silver medals in the Under-15 and Under-17 age-category races as Freya Vincent in 11th place (16:40), Georgie Brooks (15th in 16:50), April Beeby (28th in 17:14) and Emily Orton (31st in 17:17) finished runners-up in the U15 race to Halesowen, whilst in the U17 event won by Bristol’s Eleanor Wimshurst in a time of 18:27, Lucy Crookes led the way in fourth place (19:42) as team mates Catherine Robertson (17th in 21:11) and Louisa Monk (18th in 21:16) won gold ahead of Rugby & Northampton and Royal Sutton Coldfield.

In the Under-15 race Charnwood’s Sophie Coldwell secured a top-ten finish in 16:28 to claim a fine sixth place.

Report by Mark Woolley – Copyright athletics-leics.com

Full results are available on the following link: www.midlandathletics.org.uk/PDFS/2009_RES_090124_MCCAXCHAMPSRESULTS.pdf

2009 Midlands Territorial Cross Country Championships

Junior Male Races - Berry Hill Park, Mansfield

Saturday 24th January 2009

THE fledgling Owls did not disappoint in one of the races of the day at the 2009 Midlands Territorial Cross Country Championships where four athletes from the Wigston club claimed top twenty places to successfully retain the Under-20 team title for the second consecutive year.

However, it was a case of ‘so near - yet so far’ again for Eddie Highton following the highly entertaining 7.5km event won by the very impressive Birchfield Harrier James Trollope in a time of 25mins 20secs.

Having celebrated his 20th Birthday in the week leading up to the event, Highton, following a terrific battle with Birmingham University student James Mee was narrowly edged out of a podium place over the line by the width of a vest, given the same time of 25:37, to finish in the agonising fourth place for the second consecutive year having finished in the same position twelve months ago in Leamington behind team mate Geraint Davies.

That disappointment aside this was a terrific team performance as the squad of Tom Mahon (6th in 25:45), Josh Norman (10th in 26:07) and Tom Bell (26:35) combined to defend their team title in fine style ahead of Birchfield Harriers and Bristol & West.

There was also a well-deserved set of silver medals for the Owls in the Under-17 race as Sam Stabler (5th in 19:52), Danny Hallam (8th in 20:05), Ashley Chambers (18th in 20:57) and Patrick Radley (24th in 21:20) finished second to Notts AC.
Leicestershire County champion Tansey secures bronze

Xander Tansey representing Leicester Coritanian AC following his fine performances at this season’s West Midlands Young Athletes League produced a very impressive performance to secure a bronze medal in the Under-13 Boys 3km race won by Bath’s Alex Carter in a time of 10:51.

Tansey, the newly crowned Leicestershire county Under-13 champion, benefitting from competing in the opening race of the day over the rain soaked course, clocked a time of 10:57 to finish just four seconds behind runner-up Miles Burton, team mate of Carter at Bath.

Charnwood’s James Hatton also produced a solid performance to gain a top-ten finish in 8th place with a time of 11:17.

Report by Mark Woolley – Copyright athletics-leics.com

Above photo: Leicester Owls Under-20 Men’s team - left to right – Tom Mahon, Josh Norman, Tom Bell, Eddie Highton.

Full results are available on the following link: www.midlandathletics.org.uk/PDFS/2009_RES_090124_MCCAXCHAMPSRESULTS.pdf

Saturday 24th January 2009

ALMOST a couple of hundred of Britain’s brightest athletics talents will be helped this year by grants totaling £39,100.

Four young athletes from Leicestershire and Rutland and three from the current roaster of Loughborough University students are among 191 throughout the country to receive annual awards.

They include former English Schools champions – Sarah-Anne De Kremer, of Oakham, Harry Hollis, of Hallaton, Julian Adeniran, of Oakham (pictured left), and Leicester's Lloyd Gumbs.

De Kremer, 17, and Hollis, 16, are both javelin throwers for Corby AC, whilst hurdlers Adeniran, 20, and Gumbs, 21, represent London-based Shaftesbury Barnet.

Loughborough students Rachel Stringer - the 18-year-old 800m specialist from the City of Norwich club, part of the Kelly Holmes mentoring programme, and reigning British Universities champion Kieren Kelly 22, of Newham & Essex Beagles plus club mate Max Eaves, 20 (Pole Vault) also receive grants.

www.rpmf.org.uk