THREE WINS IN FOUR DAYS FOR RUGBY & NORTHAMPTON
The Athletics club celebrated an unprecedented four days of success when they clinched three competition wins
Rugby & Northampton competed in four competitions in four days achieving three top-place finishes, the first of which was in the British Athletics League Division 4 meeting on Saturday 4th June at the Bedford Athletic Stadium.
Kyle Ennis was one of the leading stars on the track as he registered a Men’s double with victories in the 100m (10.88) and 200m (21.33).
A set of personal bests were registered in the 400m, under-17 athlete Joshua Faulds securing third in the A-string event with a personal best of 51.4 seconds while Aidan Leeson (50.35) won the 400m B.
Adam Wright (1:52.98) crossed the line first to win the 800m, while Robert Male (third, 4:08.60) and Elisha De Mello (second, 15:40.25) set personal records in the 1500m and 5000m respectively.
It was a great day over the hurdles for James Wright as he clinched first in the 110m hurdles (14.97) before setting a season’s best over 400m with a time of 56.34 seconds. It was a 110m hurdles double for R&N when Luke Townsend (17.17) won the B-string event.
New personal bests were also set in the relay race as the 4x100m squad sealed first place in 42.6 seconds before the 4x400m (3:23.92) team finished second.
In the field, Wright added to his hurdles success with a win in the long jump (6.77m) and Cage Boons (14.08) set a season’s best on his way to victory in the triple jump, before Townsend (12.29, SB) completed the triple jump double by triumphing in the B event.
Finishing first in the discus with a season’s best was Douglas Stark (42.27m), and Craig Murch was victorious in the hammer with a throw of 63.81 metres.
While the Men’s team competed in the British Athletics League, R&N Women’s claimed third in the UK Women’s League Division 3.
Hannah Shepherd achieved a trio of second-place finishes in the 400m hurdles (70.25), triple jump (10.46m) and set a personal best of 15.65 in the 100m hurdles. Emma Wiltshire (12.24) also crossed the line second in the 100m, while it was a team effort required to achieve success as the 4x100m relay squad finished first in 50.43 seconds.
The shot put brought about first and second-place finishes as Kiona McLennon (11.43m) was runner-up in the A and Rhoda Woller (9.65m) went one better in the B. McLennon (36.54) later set a personal best and club record on her way to third in the discus.
Hayley Murray recorded a season’s best in the hammer throw, when 56.19m was enough to beat the competition. Lucy Cousins (43.39m) made it a hammer double as she won the B event.
A day later, R&N were victorious when they hosted the second round of the Midlands League Division 1.
The Athletics club achieved a record victory despite having a depleted side courtesy of Saturday’s National League fixture. A 30-point winning margin over Birchfield Harriers was the heaviest defeat R&N had ever inflicted on their Birmingham rivals.
Hayley Murray set a new club record in the hammer throw to take top spot with 57.28 metres, while she achieved a second and third-place finish in the B-string shot put and discus respectively.
Also claiming success in the women’s field events was Evie Harris-Jenkins who won the javelin competition by setting a new personal best of 40.23m.
It was a successful meeting for Kerry Murch who came second in the shot put (10.81m) and a pair of top-three finishes over the hurdles. Murch set a new personal best in the 400m hurdles (77.90) to claim second while she crossed the 100m hurdles line in third (15.9).
Emma Wiltshire (12.1) won the 100m race while Dan George (10.9) broke the 11-second mark for the first time in the Men’s 100m competition for third.
Winning the 200m race was Zac Stapleton (22.1) while Luke Townsend (15.7) claimed second in the 110m hurdles. Townsend went on to finish second in the long jump (6.07m) and third in the javelin B (36.60m).
Achieving success on the track and field was Theo Walkley-Bartlett, who won the 110m hurdles B (15.8) and took second in the pole vault with a personal best 2.80m.
Two R&N athletes achieved second-place finishes in A-string throwing events before winning B competitions. Alex Hamlin recorded 11.15m in the shot A and an impressive 33.52 discus throw to win the B event, while Kevin Murch’s javelin throw of 48.33m was enough for second and a 31.91m throw won the hammer B.
The next fixture is at Alexander Stadium on Sunday 3rd July when the team will be looking to solidify their Division 1 status.
R&N were back in action on Tuesday 7th June when their Men’s team were triumphant at the Banbury Five competition – the fifth race of the East Midlands Grand Prix.
Elisha De Mello completed the five-mile race in 26 minutes and 44 seconds to cross the line in third. His brilliant performance was also enough to seal a victory in the under-20 race and help the R&N Men’s team take the tournament’s top spot.
Daniel Mould (28:46) repeated his position from the Corby race a week before to claim 12th, while Alistair McDonnell (29:00) finished in 15th place and, one position and one second behind, M45 Iain Botheroyd claimed third in the age group.
John Gercs celebrated his birthday by completing the course in 20th spot overall and fifth in M45. Gercs’ performance, along with the aforementioned Botheroyd, and strong runs from Nigel Roberts (M45, ninth, 30:55) and Mike Andrews (M40, 10th, 32:31), helped the Veteran Men’s team to their first success of this year’s Series.
R&N Men’s team were led by performances from Daniel Williams (26th, 30:04), while Jamie Sinclair (34th, 30:39) finished one second and one place ahead of Lewis Cherry (35th, 30:40). Jonathan Burke crossed the line in 48th with a time of 31:33.
Both R&N Senior and Veteran Women’s teams finished in third place and leading them home was Alison Cooper (eighth, 34:52) who won the F40 category by 11 seconds.
Lorna Latimer (36:41) finished 17th, and completing the teams was Helen Jones (35th, 38:47) and Kate Williams (36th, 38:50) who finished seventh in F45 and second in F55 respectively. Valerie Cross gained another second place in the F65 category with 52:41.
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