Athletics round-up: Eight Hercules Wimbledon runners in action for Surrey
HERCULES WIMBLEDON
A record eight Hercules Wimbledon runners will be flying the flag for Surrey in this weekend’s South of England inter-counties cross country championships in Horspath, Oxford, writes Tom Pollak.
Claire Grima, Alex Binley and Eileen Brandley are in the senior women’s squad while Georgina Clarke, Joanna Tofte and Rebekah Riches compete in the under-15 girls event. Lauren Armitage and Millie Doyle race in the girls under-13 championship.
The club had five parkrun wins and two junior parkrun victors.
The best of them came in Bushy Park – as Jonny Cornish headed home a 991-strong field in a massive personal best of 14:52, posting the top age-graded performance of the day. Club-mate Justin Reid was 10th and first veteran over-45 finisher in 16:51.
Cornish took 35 seconds off his previous best for the course set in October 2016 and his run ranks him 14th fastest in the history of the event.
Ben Toomer gained a runaway victory on Wimbledon Common in 16:13, finishing more than a minute ahead of the second runner as he headed home the 398-strong field.
David Lewin was fourth in 17:35 and Adam Harwood seventh in 18:01. Amy Aronson and Binley, warming up for her Surrey debut at Oxford, were the top two women finishers in 19:38 and 19:49. Lisa Thomas was first woman over-50 in 21:12.
Matt Sharp headed home a 277-strong field in Dulwich Park in 16:01, winning by 18 seconds, while Robbie Hynes triumphed in Richmond Park in a personal best of 17:28, finishing 21-seconds clear of the 357-strong field. He sliced 17 seconds off his PB set on his debut appearance in the event at the beginning of last month.
Hercules Wimbledon’s youngsters also took the honours in the Wimbledon Common 2km junior parkrun on Sunday morning. Ellen Weir headed home all 92 boys and girls in 7:34 with club-mate Harry Sudden the top boy 27 seconds later. Sacha Ormiston was second in the boys race in 8:11 with Hannah Hegvold second girl finisher in 8:56.
Across the Irish Sea, Cheryl Nolan was tasting victory on the Emerald Isle as she headed home the field in the women’s 5km championship in the Laois County Championship on the Stradbally Estate in 17:51, winning by 26 seconds. She also led her Irish club to the bronze team medals.
Tom Cheetham was second veteran over-50 finisher in the Regent’s Park 10km event the day after finishing top over-50 veteran in the Tooting Common 5km parkrun.
Chris Ore won the Nice Works 5km event in Bushy Park in 18:31 with Kieran White runner-up and top over-40 veteran the 10km race in 35:08. Stuart Fraser was top veteran over-50 finisher in the Self Transcendence 5km race in Battersea Park, where Maurice Sharp was top over-70 finisher.
HERNE HILL HARRIERS
Richard Henderson won the Gordon Pirie race – hosted by South London Harrier – on Sunday on a very challenging off-road terrain, writes Geoff Jerwood.
The event also incorporates the Herne Hill club’S 10 miles cross-country championship. Henderson’s victory – by a margin of 11 seconds – saw him become the latest holder of the huge Dewar Shield that is awarded to the first Herne Hill athlete in the race, an accolade and trophy that has been contested annually throughout most of the long history of the club.
Harriers club-mates Jeff Cunningham finished sixth place while Jonathan Ratcliffe, 13th overall, was first M50. Alan Barnes defied a stomach upset to complete the winning scoring team one place behind Ratcliffe.
Karen Ellison continues to return to her best form after a couple of injury plagued years as she finished as second woman in 25th overall.
One place behind Ellison, James Ward ran around four minutes faster than on this course last year, with Trevor Chilton not far behind in 28th position. Nigel Goodwin completing the Harriers turnout, finishing 76th.
England half marathon international Stacey Ward is finally edging closer to her racing comeback after a year of injury – which has included surgery and rehab. She won the St Albans parkrun as her 17:54 saw her finish 19 seconds ahead of the first man.
Chloe Tighe was third finisher on Tooting Common, running without her barcode. She was around 20 seconds behind club-mate Matt Cartwright’s fine 17:32 which placed him second on the day. Harriers also supplied the winning woman at Dulwich Park for the second week in a row as Stacy Wheat was first female in 19:23 to complete a Herne Hill hat-trick of women’s parkrun wins.
Male club members who were ahead of Wheat were Dan Hallam, 12th in 18:15, Jonathan Ratcliffe, 13th in 18:19, Fraser Hagell, 16th in 18:42, and James Ward, 21st in 19:07.
Lara Langston ensured Herne Hill were both first and second among the women at Dulwich with her PB time of 20:02.
Under-15 boys Jacob and Benjamin Harrison placed first and second at the Crystal Palace parkrun, finishing together in 19:22. Tony Macdowall was second in 17:35 at Lloyd Park.
DULWICH RUNNERS
Neville Webb finished seventh in the 5K race for the V60s at the Kent County Masters Championship in Dartford, writes Chris Loizou.
The ladies also ran a distance of 5k. Alexis Shaw (V35) finished sixth in her category and ninth in the event.
Ange Norris finished first in the W55 race while Andrea Pickup was third in the V45 category.
The men ran 9k, Dulwich’s first man home was Andy Bond, ninth in the V40, followed by Buzz Shepherd (10th). Stephen Davies was fifth in the V45 category. Tony Tuohy came second in the M50 category whilst Steve Symthe finished sixth in the V55 section.
The W45 team of Ange Norris, Andrea Pickup and Emma Ibell claimed the silver team medal.
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
One thought on “Athletics round-up: Eight Hercules Wimbledon runners in action for Surrey”