Vale Royal Athletics Club dominate medals table at county track championships (From Northwich Guardian)

Vale Royal Athletics Club dominate medals table at county track championships

2:35pm Friday 14th May 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

JADE Evans hopes to follow a path trodden by future internationals after winning a prestigious award for middle distance runners at the weekend.

The Vale Royal Athletics Club star scooped the Marie Birkenhead Mile Trophy following the Cheshire County AA Track and Field Championships after winning the U15s girls’ 1,500m final.

She added a silver medal over 800m in the same age class.

“It’s no mean feat,” said coach Shaun McGrath.

“The names of runners from our club on there, such as Alex Carter, Stevie Stockton, Rebecca Craigie and Megan Huxley, have all gone on to earn international honours.

“Jade certainly has the potential to achieve great things too.”

However Evans, 14, was pipped by clubmate Cerys Heaher in the second middle distance final in which blue and gold-clad runners claimed a clean sweep of the medals.

Vale Royal AC returned from the two-days championship at Macclesfield with a haul of 40 medals, almost half of those gold in colour.

Rising star George Challinor stormed to three race victories in the U13s boys’ 1,500m, 800m and 200m finals, while Rebecca Craigie was a double gold medal winner in the junior women’s 800m and 400m.

McGrath added: “He’s a strong lad.

“We started to see his potential at the Cheshire track relay championships a couple of years ago when he stormed past his rivals on an 800m leg.

“He’s enthusiastic and wants to run every race possible.”

Elsewhere Richard Tranter’s leap in the junior men’s triple jump final – breaking the 13m mark – set a new championship best.

Also in the field Lauren Roberts took gold and silver respectively in the U17s girls’ discus and shot put, while Ruth Howard won the junior women’s triple jump and took bronze in the long jump.

David Zimmer threw further than everybody else in the junior men’s javelin too.

Meanwhile back on track it was a successful two days for Nathan Tipping as he won the U15s boys’ 800m before adding a pair of silver medals over 1,500m and 400m.

“I’m over the moon to be honest,” said McGrath.

“We’ve won more gold medals than a year ago still against the background of not having the same facilities at which to train as our rivals.”

He saved the last word for Tess McCormick, victor over 3,000m in the U17s girls’ age group.

It marks her first gold medal at the championships.

McGrath said: “Everybody here is so made up for her.”

Northwich schoolgirl Lydia Randles, competing for Sale Harriers, won a medal of every colour.

The 14-year-old, who lives in Wincham, was best in the U15s girls’ javelin as well as finishing second in the 75m hurdles.

A bronze in the shot completed the set.

---

FOR all the results from events involving Vale Royal AC members, pick up this week's Northwich Guardian.