Ethan Statham Runs the Fastest Leg in the NW Road Relays

There was a good representation of Bury AC teams at the North West Road Relay championships at Birkenhead Park on the Wirral on Sunday. The programme of races commenced with the 3 x 1.5km race for under 11 girls and boys. For the girls, the trio of Maya Akram (09.05), Evelyn McDonald (09.09) and Laiyah Manjra (07.32) placed 26^th overall and were 7^th Greater Manchester team. For the boys, Teddy Bowman (08.20), Faheem Gyagenda (08.34) and Scott Cullen (07.48) placed 35^th overall and were 10^th GM team. The under 13 girls were next to race with the distance increasing to 2.3km for each of the three legs. Bury’s Heidi Wilkinson (10.02), Nina Boodhun (10.36) and Mylah Bryan (09.48) finished 21^st and were 5^th GM team.

The best race of the day from a Bury athlete came in the under 13 boys 3 x 2.3km race. Ethan Statham was on the first leg and he scorched around the course in 07.42, the fastest by an under 13 on the day. Indeed only 5 under 15s ran their leg faster than the young Bury star. Ethan passed over to Chester Theakstone in first place and the youngster covered the second leg in 09.18 and had to surrender a few places. Sam Walton took the last leg and crossed the line in 13^th place overall; his 09.58 leg placing Bury 5^th in Greater Manchester. Sadly, Bury couldn’t field a full team in the under 15 girls race. Lucy Dent ran well on the first leg, her 08.28 bringing her home in 9^th place. Coco-Lily Honor covered the second leg in 10.32.

Bury had two teams in the senior woman’s race comprising of 3 legs of 4.7km. Sinead Taylor of the A team covered the first leg in 16.45 to hand over in 6^th place. Alia Braithwaite completed the second leg in 17.46 moving the team up to 4^th. Sarah Flett’s 19.14 leg saw Bury move to 8^th place overall, but the team secured silver medals as the second GM team. The B team of Sophie Hill (19.11), Lizzie Cheshire (20.12) and Fiona Lynch (20.52) placed 25^th overall and were 7^th GM team.

Seniors Women’s Team and the Team Manager

The last event of the day was the men’s 4 x 4.7km race and this was three Bury teams take the start line. Ben Coop took the first leg for the A team, covering it in a very respectable 14.54 to hand over in 14^th place. Jack Griffiths produced a 16.08 second leg, conceding a couple of places. However, Bryn Lawrence clawed back some places with a 15.02 clocking on the third leg. James Brown was on the last leg and his 14.52 was the fastest by a Bury athlete on the day. He moved the team up to 7^th overall and claimed 4^th GM team place, just outside of the medals. The B quartet of Taylor Warburton (16.31), Jack Passey (15.56), Callum Gaunt (16.02) and Declan Tattersall (16.29) placed 28^th overall and were 10^th GM team. The C team of Byron Edwards (17.11), Alexander Hannay (17.11), Robert Butterworth (17.57) and Curtis Simpson (18.41) finished 56^th overall and were 21^st GM team.

Agatha Wragg was Bury’s sole competitor at the Trafford Medal meeting on Sunday. She won her heat in the U15 200m with 29.49 and then placed second in her 300m in 47.30.

Four Bury AC members competed at the Blackpool Open Meeting on Sunday. Theo Overlunde competed in the under 11s 80m, 600m and long jump delivering performances of 15.9, 2.40.5 and 2.30 in the respective events. His sister Violette competed in the under 13s 100m, 200m and long jump. Her sprint times were 14.4 and 29.5 respectively and she won the long jump competition with a best leap of 4.10. The previous weekend Violette had secured second overall U13 in the Cheshire League events. Ben Clarke was the clear winner of the under 17s javelin competition, launching the javelin out to 58.62. Karl Hinze competed in the senior men’s 800m where he placed 4th with a time of 2.27.3.

Ella Straffon-Finch competed at the Yarrow Valley 10k trail race on Sunday. She was first under 16 in a time of 1:02.31.