ATHLETICS

THE buses scenario turned up last Saturday during the 216th staging of the Porthcawl Parkrun 5k, writes Tony Poole.

The week before Rowan Hobbs (Brackla Harriers) won the event along the Wales Coastal Path to Rest Bay and back at the 56th time of asking.

And just like buses, another victory for Hobbs was just behind.

He motored home the previous week in a personal best 17mins 58secs while this time around a ticket to ride saw him arrive at his destination in 18:03.

And a colleague from the Brackla Harriers club, Christopher Jeynes, was runner-up with a personal best time of 18:08.

Third-placed Ceri Tapper (unattached) also set a personal best – he clocked 18:47 – with Dave Dickson (Porthcawl Runners) next home in 18:51.

Former Aberavon, Bridgend and Kenfig Hill rugby star Brendan Roach tackled the course with 19:04, and the other top-10 finishers were Rob Hunt (Bridgend) 19:05, Paul Speyer (Brackla Harriers) 19:11, Dave Ben- nett (Porthcawl Runners) 19:15, Jordan Groves personal best 19:29 and Morgan Thomas (also unattached) personal best 19:36.

Other sub-20 minute times came from Mark Emery 19:38, top female finisher Ffion Higginson (both Bridgend) 19:49, Simon Bowen (unattached) 19:50 and Ian Ogilvie (Brackla Harriers) 20:00.

Runner-up in the female section was Georgina Jayne Dando (Bridgend) in 20:13, third-placed and 31st overall was Deborah Goule (Porthcawl Runners) 21:13 with fourthplaced and 64th overall Clare Hughes (Bridgend) clocking 22:21.

Blustery conditions took the wind out of the sails of many of the 398 starters, including guest runner Gareth Roberts (unattached).

The evergreen performer, who hails from Pencoed, had to be satisfied with a time of 22:57.

Once again the tremendous camaraderie that exists during Porthcawl Parkruns has once more surfaced.

Competitor James Beynon has raised funds to purchase a defibrillator, and last Saturday he handed it over to the Porthcawl Parkrun volunteers.

In the 89th Junior Parkrun in Newbridge Fields last Sunday, Dafydd Pratchett registered a fifth successive event victory, and 15th overall.

The winning time of the young Bridgend runner was 7mins 47secs, and it was 11 seconds outside the personal best that he set last July.

On only her fourth participation in the event, runner-up Alice Davies clocked 8:06 which was a mere three seconds off her best.

The other top-10 places were occupied by Ioan Phillips 8:33, Joshua Morgan (Bridgend) 8:46, Henry Davies 8:57, Jayden Williams personal best 8:58, Ethan Wyatt pb 9:07, Tomas Clarke 9:14, Jessica Crawley (Bridgend) 9:14 and Willow Hughes 9:16.

Other sub-10 minute times came from Maya Bilal 9:19, Euan Jenkins 9:42, Jude Jenkins 9:45, Abigail Morgan 9:47, Madeline Bebb 9:56, Mia Amerein 9:56, Phoebe Brien 9:59 and Liam Sales pb 10:00.

There were 26 other personal best times from the 128 competitors, and they went against the names of: Joseph Wright, William Howe, Bryony Brice, Ewan Bodilly, Zane Bilal, Niall Nolan (Cwm Ogwr Runners), Gwen Adams, Rebekah Hopkin, Jenny Payne, Luca Nicholas (Cornelly Striders), Sam Bodilly, Miles Thomas, Conor Nolan, Lloyd Dando, Dylan Wright, Jack Woodhouse, Stanley Jones, Lili Howard, Rhys Howard, Anshita Kotwal, Owen Nottage, Tom Beckinsale, Ben Boyce, Eira Darling, Esme Cornwall and Tilly Bourke.