Adam leads the way for R&N at the English Relay Championships
Adam Caulfield was the star of the show for Rugby and Northampton Athletic Club last weekend, as their strong 17-team junior contingent were out in force at the English National Relay Championships in Mansfield.
Caulfield recorded the fourth quickest time of the under-13 boys event, helping the ‘A’ team to eighth place overall. His closing leg of six minutes, 47.85 seconds added to the impressive running of Ben Hope (7:20.50) and Isaac Thorman (7:39.35), which handed R&N an overall total of 21:47.70. The winning team, Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC, were just 56 seconds quicker, in what was a tightly-contested event.
R&N were able to field ‘B’ and ‘C’ teams in the race, who finished 35th and 60th respectively. Edward Faulds kicked things off for the ‘B’ team, clocking a 7:32.15. Trystan Barnett ran the second leg in 7:49.05, and Harry Boynton’s 8:10.05 gave them a time of 23:31.25.
The ‘C’ team finished just over a minute further back with a time of 24:32.15. Cian McCahill opened up with 8:11.60, Jack Mains added to the total with a run of 8:32.25, before Augustus Stapleton produced a fine closing leg of 7:48.30 to boost the team total.
The under-13 girls contest also saw three teams entered by R&N, with the ‘A’ team earning a 19th-placed finish, in a 92-strong field. Molly Williams set the tone with 7:54.90, and she was backed up by Georgina Woodward and Abigail Pearce, who recorded respective times of 8:02.30 and 8:18.40. This gave the team a total of 24:15.60, with the event being won by a strong Liverpool Harriers side in 23:02.25.
The ‘B’ team consisted of Holly Walker, Zoe Morling and Gaby Peck, and they finished 63rd overall with a time of 26:13.95. Walker opened up with 8:19.90, followed up by Morling’s 8:48.75 and a final leg of 9:05.30 by Peck.
The ‘C’ team were just 26 seconds further back, as they clocked a cumulative total of 26:39.75. Amelia McMurtrie clocked a time of 8:32.20, with Emma Barker (8:57.05) and Fenella Downes (9:10.50) completing the running, and earning a 72nd-placed finish.
The under-15 boys event resulted in a top-20 finish for the R&N ‘A’ team. Adam Searle’s opening leg of 6:25.35 was the 11th-quickest of the event, and set the team on their way. Thomas Hughes recorded a time of 7:16.40, with Joe Musgrove’s impressive 6:53.85 rounding things off as they set an overall time of 20:35.60.
The ‘B’ team finished 57th out of a field of 81. James Wizard (7:17.40), Jack Carey (7:16.80) and Matthew Rushton (7:32.60) teamed up for a time of 22:06.80, with the ‘C’ team finishing 72nd with a final time of 23:39.40. Ethan Kent-Whittaker ran a last leg of 7:25.30, adding to William McMurtrie’s first leg 7:37.05, and Ralph Finister’s 8:37.05.
There were 89 teams taking part in the under-15 girls race, with two R&N teams competing. The ‘A’ team recorded a time of 24:04.80, which was enough to earn them 35th place. Poppy Carmichael set the pace with a first leg of 7:51.15, which was followed up by Hollie Moore’s run of 8:14.85, and Amy Walker’s 7:58.80. The ‘B’ side finished 80th, with Charis Hayes (8:06.40), Niamh Chippington (10:00.30) and Olivia Shehan (8:31.80) combining for an overall time of 26:38.00.
