19th January 2016
RUGBY & NORTHAMPTON LADIES CLAIM CROSS COUNTRY VICTORY IN GLOUCESTER
R&N strengthen promotion push on a another successful weekend for the club
Rugby & Northampton’s ladies claimed victory in the Midland Womens Cross Country League Division 2 over the weekend, triumphing in Gloucester to put the club in a strong position after three rounds of the campaign.
Rebecca Leadbeater led R&N home with a time of 23 minutes and 59 seconds to secure fourth in the Under-20 event and 22nd overall. The 18-year-old’s junior team-mate, Emma Bond (25.03), made the club’s top two for the third successive time to finish in 42nd and Sarah Bennett (25.43) followed her home with a season’s best 58th position.
Completing the team was Tamara Hardman (25.45) with a personal best 60th spot, to clinch the club’s second win in the division, which puts them in strong contention for promotion.
The fourth and final race of the series will be held jointly with the Birmingham Men’s League at Wolverhampton on 13th February.
The weekend also saw the Birmingham League Division One competition take place, where Robert Male recorded his highest ever finish as the men’s team completed the day in 12th position.
Male (30:51) was the first R&N athlete over the line, completing the 5.5 mile course at Coventry’s Coundon Hall Park in 58th place, followed by Brendan Moen (32:42) and Mike Andrews (32:43) in 107th and 108th respectively. Alistair McDonnell crossed the line in 118th (33:12) and was followed by new member Adnan Haq, making the team on his debut with 33:27 for 123rd, and closing out the scoring in sixth was Joe Lantsbery – two places behind in 33:29.
The B team finished in eighth spot, with Pete Belfield (34:03) just edging out Richard Latimer by one place and three seconds, with the latter recording his career-best finish of 141st.
Nigel Roberts (38.00) and Vince Carroll (38.09) finished 159th and 161st respectively and junior Alastair Gardner (38.46) achieved his highest position, crossing the line in 176th.
Just four days after celebrating his 40th birthday, Jonathan Taylor completed the scoring for the B team in 190th position (35:56) to help the side rank sixth in the league table after three matches.
R&N’s success wasn’t limited to cross country with many athletes recording personal bests at the Midlands Counties Open at Alexander Stadium over the weekend, where one club record was also broken.
U20 Eleanor Broome is now the club’s leading long jumper as her 5.80 metre effort set a new indoor club record, while Simone Ager also jumped well with an indoor PB of 5.17.
On the track, Rico Ewer (7.02) and Jason Dankyi (7.76) set PBs in the 60m U20 division, while Bradley Whitehead (U15B, 8.25), Luke Pooley (U15B, 8.55) and Sachin Thethy (U13B, 8.86) also eclipsed their previous bests.
Meanwhile, in the female ranks, Laurone Ager (U17W, 8.11) and Megan Burge (U13G, 8.97) added their names to the list of new PBs, along with a further three in the U15G’s race. Mary Beetham-Green led the R&N girls home with an outstanding time of 8.14, while Adele Blenkinsop (8.83) and Maia Reynolds (9.18) followed shortly after. Milan Clues (U17W, 9.72) and Alfie Bowers (U15B, 10.2) were also on the PB trail in the 60m hurdles.
The aforementioned Reynolds – in her first competition at U15 – also competed in the outside throws and registered PBs of 18.40 in the discus and 7.56 with the shot. Fellow U15 Lily-May Pursey was also in action, and followed throws of 8.69 in the shot put and 18.48 in the discus with an excellent 33.77 hammer throw, despite the very cold conditions.
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