Strong Inter Counties XC Performances and PBs at Tameside 5k

Six Bury AC members represented the Greater Manchester team at the Inter Counties Cross Country Championships on Saturday in the grounds of Wollaton Park in Nottingham. First to race on the undulating course were Heidi Wilkinson and Isla Taylor who were competing in the under 13 girls race. Heidi produced an excellent performance to place 111^th in the quality field and was the second counter for the team. Isla also ran strongly to cross the line in 181^st position and was 5^th finisher for the county.

Next on the course was the senior women’s race with University of Leeds student Caitlyn Johnston representing Greater Manchester. She ran very strongly to place 83^rd overall and was second scorer for the team, an excellent performance. Emma Stansfield was the next local athlete to compete, in the under 17 women’s race where she placed 161^st and was 4^th county scorer.

Ethan Statham produced his customary strong run in the under 13 boys race where he placed 42^nd and was 4^th counter for the team. He was a little disappointed with his run, following from his 19^th in the Nationals, but a top 50 place was a great achievement and the Greater Manchester team placed fifth. The final race of the day was the senior men with Bryn Lawrence stepping up from his under 20 age category and producing a superb race to place 76^th where he was the 4^th scorer for the county, helping the team to place third, the best Greater Manchester team performance on the day.

Six Bury athletes also competed in Saturday’s Tameside March 5k Road Races where a number of new best times were set. In the A race Jack Griffiths ran strongly to place 20^th with a season’s best 16.52, followed by Ryan Hallworth in 23^rd with a PB of 16.59. Abigail Warburton was 2^nd woman with a season’s best of 18.02. The B race saw a brilliant run from Matt Finch, placing 2^nd with a new personal best of 17.46. Young Lucy Dent also ran a stormer, placing 3^rd woman in a PB of 18.47. Thirteen year old Ella Straffon-Finch competed in the C race where she was 6^th woman in 21.07, a massive new PB.