ATHLETICS
THE 15th edition of the Merthyr Mawr Lane 5km was held in thundery conditions, which had produced rain in the hours before the event, but it relented to leave a warm balmy still evening.
Rory McClaggan from the Merthyr Mawr Estate got the event under way and immediately Aberdare AAC vests were to the fore with the leaders going through the 1km in 3:06; by 2km (passed in 3:12) Adam Bull was moving away on the gradual climb along Ton Fruit Farm.
In the ladies race, Ffion Higginson (who leads the UK u17 Women’s Steeplechase rankings) had to pull up in the first mile and team mate Georgie Dando who was alongside her, sacrificed her race in stopping to support her.
The turn around the Candleston Car Park and climb up to the 3km mark (3:15), saw Bull pull away increasingly from his younger under 20 club mate Joseph Reardon; this had extended to 23 seconds by the finish line which he crossed in 15:48, compared to the 15:30 he ran in last years event where he finished third. Pontypridd Roadents Simon Lewis took third in 16:43, ahead of clubmate Paul Graham.
Meanwhile Melanie Edwards of Brackla Harriers came through to take the victory in women’s race in 19:45.
Les Croupiers took the 4 to score Men’s team title, ahead of Bridgend’s AC and Neath Harriers, whilst Bridgend AC Women’s A Team, beat their B team ahead of Brackla Harriers on a 3 to score basis.
Over 250 runners finished this popular spring midweek event, that also hosts a mob match between Les Croupiers RC and a combined Bridgend AC/Brackla Harriers, which was retained by the local clubs giving an 8 – 6 score since the inception of the Mob Match. For the first time the event hosted the South Wales Regional 5k Road Championships.
Support from St Johns Ambulance and over 30 volunteers from the host club Bridgend AC and local running community, again made the event a great success in idyllic surroundings, with per- missions from the Merthyr Mawr Estate, local farmer Jon Tudor and cooperation from the local residents was again greatly appreciated.