ATHLETICS
PORTHCAWL 5K PARKRUN
RICHARD Dando last Saturday recorded a 13th victory in Porthcawl 5k Parkrun along the Wales Coastal Path to Rest Bay and back, writes Tony Poole.
The Bridgend runner on a 54th visit to Porthcawl clocked 17 minutes 42 seconds in the 329th staging of the event.
This was, however, 31 seconds outside the personal best (pb) that he registered back in August 2014 when finishing fourth to Gareth Ayres (Port Talbot Harriers) in race number 71.
Christopher Jeynes (Brackla Harriers) was runner-up in 18:18 with two members of the Porthcawl Runners club next to finish – Dave Bennett in 18:38 and Michael Furness 18:40.
The next seven competitors in a field of 384 runners were inside the 20-minute mark, and the list comprised Dave Cato (Eton Manor AC) firsttime competitor 19:08, Jeffrey Thomas (Bridgend) 19:13, Mark Rutter (Harwich Runners) first-time competitor 19:18, Joshua Morland (Westbury Harriers) 19:37, John Hill (Bridgend) 19:42, Mark Taylor (Port Talbot Harriers) pb 19:54 and Gregory Newhams (Bridgend) 19:59.
Top female in 27th position was Judith Oakley (Vegan Runners) in a pb time of 21:22 from Deborah Roberts-Goule 21:46 (35th), Clare Hughes (Bridgend) 21:53 (38th), Justine Dawkins 23:13 (59th), Joanne Edwards (both Cornelly Striders) 23:26 (62nd) and Rachel Hopkins (unattached) 23:33 (63rd).
MAESTEG 5K PARKRUN
GRANT Medcraft (unattached) last Saturday won Maesteg 5k Parkrun for a second time in seven visits to the Welfare Park.
His winning time was 18 minutes and two seconds which was a mere six seconds outside the personal best that he set when winning his last Maesteg start in race number 38 back last April.
The 42nd staging of the event resulted in a runnerup role for regular winner Rowan Hobbs (Brackla Harriers), who this time around clocked 19:16.
Third place went to Adrian Pearce (unattached) in 19:19 from Paul Speyer (Brackla Harriers) 19:25, top female Katrin Higginson (Bridgend) pb 19:40, James Littlewood (Ogmore Phoenix Runners) pb 19:45, Michael Chandler (Bristol & West AC) first-time competitor 20:08, Dan Morgan (Bridgend) pb 20:45, Morgan Thomas 20:54 and Robert Golden (both unattached) 20:58.
Second female home in 19th place was Kaitlin O’Neill in a pb time of 24:59 from Jane O’Neill (both unattached) pb 26:38 (25th), Georgia Arnot (Pencoed Panthers) pb 30:11 (28th), Jayne Powney (Ogmore Phoenix Runners) 31:22 (31st) and Kristia Humphrey (unattached) 31:45 (32nd).
BRIDGEND JUNIOR 2K PARKRUN
IOAN Phillips last Sunday registered a first Bridgend Junior 2k Parkrun at the 45th time of asking.
He took the 137th staging of the Newbridge Fields event in a time of 8 minutes 10 seconds which was 11 seconds outside his best when fourth to Jack O’Brien (Bridgend) in race number 110 last October.
Just seven seconds back in a personal best time was Adam Davis (Brid- gend) with Emrys Ireland taking third-place honours in a time of 8:18.
The next 17 finishers were inside 10 minutes with the list containing Dan May 8:38, top female Mia Allen (Bridgend) 8:54, Leroy Griffiths (Rhondda) 8:59, Rhys Anthony 9:03, Joel Rees pb 9:07, Euan Jenkins (Neath Harriers) 9:07, Jessica Crawley (Bridgend) 9:08, Samuel Spurgeon pb 9:11, Luke Woodhouse 9:18, Jude Jenkins 9:18, Kaitlyn Spurgeon (Bridgend) pb 9:27, Ariannah Thomas 9:30, Dylan James first-time competitor 9:47, Elliott Jenkins 9:49, Lucy Rigby (Royal Sutton Coldfield AC) first-time competitor 9:50, Jacob Lloyd Feiven (Cornelly Striders) 9:59 and Josie Thomas firsttime competitor 10:00.
A further 16 personal best times were set, and they came from Aneurin Ireland, Andrew Poulton, Maisie Rees, Osian Phillips, Luca Nicholas, George Tune, Olivia Clatworthy, Elijah Rhoden, Iris Brown, Gwilym James (Ogmore Phoenix Runners), Lexi Cowan, Lewi Power, Oliver Reeves, Mali Beynon, Evelyn Miller and Louis Speyer.