VALE Royal Athletics Club reached another milestone at the weekend when their senior women’s team finished third at the English National Road Relays Championships.

The quartet, led by Katie Brough, was never outside the top 10 over four legs of a course at Sutton Park.

Fourth at the first handover, the Great Britain cross country international also ran the sixth fastest split of the day – timing 14.32 for 4.3km.

Sarah Murphy kept the Knights Grange-based outfit in contention before Katie Gerrard gained five places after running 15.02.

Amelia Pettit then pulled Vale Royal into a medal position in 14.43 – just 12 seconds adrift of silver-medallists Bristol & West.

“We’ve never even been near to winning a medal at this event,” said coach Shaun McGrath afterwards.

“People take notice when you have success with a senior team, because it’s a marker of the strength in depth at your club.

“It was difficult to watch because we were up there all the way through – I was nervous.

“I felt quite emotional afterwards; to have a result like this shows what we’ve achieved after years and years of hard work.”

A senior men’s team, made up of Stuart Doyle, James Griffiths, Chris Perry, Oliver Williams, George Thompson and Nathan Tipping classified inside the top 50.

On Sunday, Vale Royal’s under 15s boys – who took the regional title last month – finished sixth.

Alfie Bould, Alex Doyle and Ben Lee made up their trio.

“They were by far the best of the northern clubs,” said McGrath.

“I think sometimes it’s difficult to comprehend how strong the level of competition is, and that it’s quite a feat for our boys to be rubbing shoulders with ones from clubs that can recruit from a much bigger geographical area or a city.”

Meanwhile the under 17s boys placed narrowly outside the top 10.

The under 17s and under 15s girls’ teams both ranked inside the top 30 overall.

Results

English National Road Relays Championships

Sutton Park, Birmingham

Senior men: 1. Tonbridge AC 1:47.24; 2. Derby AC 1:47.29; 3. Central AC 1:47.38; 48. Vale Royal AC (Stuart Doyle, James Griffiths, Chris Perry, Oliver Williams, George Thompson, Nathan Tipping) 1:59.15

Senior ladies: 1. Swansea Harriers 59.14; Bristol & West AC 59.51; 3. Vale Royal AC A (Katie Brough, Sarah Murphy, Katie Gerrard, Amelia Pettitt) 1:00.03; 36. Vale Royal AC B (Chloe Broad, Kate Spilsbury, Kate Moulds, Lucy Burch) 1:08.21

Under 17s boys: 1. Tonbridge AC 35.51; 2. Reading AC 36.09; 3. Aldershot Farnham & District 36.12; 12. Vale Royal AC (Cameron Weaver, Harry Dexter, Josh Betteley) 38.04

Under 17s girls: 1. Aldershot Farnham & District 41.39; 2. Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow 42.29; 3. Bracknell AC 42.21; 25. Vale Royal AC (Cara Gibbons, Esme Bridge, Sophie Smith) 46.24

Under 15s boys: 1. Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers 38.02; 2. City of Portsmouth AC 38.10; 3. Bracknell AC 38.21; 6. Vale Royal AC (Alfie Bould, Alex Doyle, Ben Lee) 39.11

Under 15s girls: 1 Herne Hill Harriers 42.24; 2. Liverpool Harriers B 43.19; 3. Blackheath & Bromley Harriers 43.21; 26. Vale Royal AC (Lucy Smith, Georgina Denham, Holly Smith) 47.07

Northwich Guardian:

From left, Vale Royal Athletics Club's senior women's quartet of Amelia Pettitt, Katie Gerrard, Sarah Murphy and Katie Brough following their medal success at Sutton Park. Picture: ROBERT BROWN