Sprint finishes certainly kept the Chester-le-Street supporters gripped as our athletes came away with four individual medals and two team titles at the 2009 NE Cross-Country Championships. Top honours of the day went to Anna Fawcett and Chris Peverley who picked up silvers, and Thomas Goulding and Tracy Laws who claimed bronzes.
With the fog clearing, the day kicked off extremely well with our six U13 boys first round the flat, twisty course. Thomas Goulding led the team home to gold in third place in 12.29, closely followed by Daniel Pickering in 4th (12:41). Joe Armstrong was the third team counter in 14th spot (13:08). Brandon Feeley and Jake Hall battled together finishing one-second apart with Brandon in 27th place getting the better of his team-mate Jake in 28th. Robert Peverley completed the team line-up with 38th position.
The excitement continued as the U13 girls set off. Anna Fawcett had a tussle for 2nd place for most of the race. Coming into the home straight it looked like Anna’s taller rival would take 2nd but Anna produced a gutsy sprint finish leaving her rival 3 seconds behind at the finishing line with a time of 12.54. Fellow Chester athlete Anna Oliver also worked hard in the finishing straight coming home in 26th position.
Our third individual medal was also secured in the closing stages of the U15 boys race with Chris Peverley easing clear of 3rd place to claim silver in 14:21, only 6 seconds from the winner. Andrew Sill who ran well through some of the muddier sections of the course, finished in 30th. In the U15 girls race, our sole competitor Katy Blackett looked strong up the course inclines near the finish to place 25th in 19:37.
Five U17 boys took on the course at the end of the day when the course had been cut up by the preceding races. L. McCourt was the highest C-le-S finisher in a creditable 6th in 21:43. He was well supported by Gareth Lavan in 14th (22:27), Calum Morgan in 29th (24:00), Sam Blackett in 32nd (24:34) and David Harris in 34th (25:05). The boys team finished in a commendable 6th place.
In the longest and largest race of the day, a quartet of C-le-S men completed the 4-lap race. Producing a confident and strong run, James Raven was first home in 24th place (43:04) with Stewy Bell (37th in 43:04), Andrew Coffer (70th in 46:47) and Richard Ellis (85th 47:46) all working hard.
The final medals of the day came in the Senior Women’s race with yet another individual medal clinched in the finishing straight. This time, top honours went to Tracy Laws in 3rd place (32.56) who looks forward to her debut for the North of England next weekend in Brussels. Backed up by Melissa Turner in 5th (33:17) and Maxine Czarnecka in 9th (34:08), as expected, the women easily won the team title. Finishing halfway through the field, improving veteran athlete Alison Moore, steadily worked through the field finishing in 44th position.
Well done to all those who raced!
Photos: (1) the start of the Men's race and (2) James R and Stewy B!
They are a little small as I am uploading on a train which can't cope with large images!
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