ATHLETICS
RIDGEND runner Jonathan Hopkins (Swansea Harriers) rounded off 2019 with a sixth-place finish in the Telford 10K, writes Tony Poole.
He clocked a fine time of 29:01 in a race won by Adam Craig (Inverclyde AAC) 28:32 from Omar Ahmed (Birchfield AAC) 28:39, Callan Moody (Serpentine, New Zealand) 28:57, Jack Gray (Cambridge & Coleridge AAC) 28:59 and Josh Griffiths (Swansea Harriers) 28:59.
Highest placed female was Samantha Harrison (Notts AAC), who clocked 32:33 to finish 124th in a field that contained 1,141 competitors.
“Absolutely buzzing with 29:01 at the Telford 10K, as it was a great way to round off the year,” said Hopkins via his Twitter account.
“And hopefully 2020 will be my best year yet.”
Rob Hunt (all Bridgend) 51:50, Dave Dickson (Porthcawl Runners) 52:56, Jeffrey Thomas (Bridgend) 53:31 (31st), James Littlewood 54:41 (36th) 54:41, Adrian Cartlidge (both Ogmore Phoenix) 55:02 (38th), Ed Rees 55:34 (46th) and Dan Morgan (both Bridgend) 55:36 (47th).
Top female finisher in 23rd place was Sandra Chipper (Lliswerry Runners) 51:45 while the top-three finishers from Bridgend County clubs were Deborah Roberts-Goule (Porthcawl Runners) 58:57, Paula Wilfort 67:24 and Raeanna Grainger (both Cornelly Striders) 69:59. (Bridgend if not mentioned):
The Gwent Cross Country League season now takes a break with the fourth leg being staged at Chepstow Racecourse on February 8.
DAVE Moore last Saturday took the 345th staging of Porthcawl 5K Parkrun in a time of 20:11.
Boisterous conditions along the Wales Coastal Path, containing sleet and a strong wind, led to just 178 runners facing the starter with Moore adding to a previous win back in September 2017 when he carded a personal best 18:10.
A team-mate from the Brackla Harriers club, Ian Ogilvie, followed him home in 20:50 with the remaining top-10 places filled by Robert Jones (Cornelly Striders) 21:20, Adrian Phillips (unattached) 21:32, William Edwards (Porthcawl Runners) 21:50, Saul Harris (Ogmore Phoenix) 21:55, Ryan Bunce (Brackla Harriers) 21:57, Huw McArthur (unattached) 22:07, Jack Bevan (Porthcawl Runners) 22:13 and top female Laura Gush (Bridgend) 22:17.
Lucy Edwards, who clocked 23:23, was second female finisher in 22nd position ahead of Joanne Edwards 24:55 (41st), Raeanna Grainger (all Cornelly Striders) 25:42 (48th), Christina Shallish-Lewis (Pontyclun Road Runners) 25:49 (49th), Breige Lawrence (unattached) 26:02 (52nd), Elle Goodridge 26:03 (53rd) and Joanna Burridge (both Brackla Harriers) 26:03 (54th).
MICHAEL Chandler (Bristol & West AAC) registered a personal best 19:36 last Saturday in winning Maesteg 5K Parkrun.
It was his first success in five starts in the Welfare Park event, and behind him came four Ogmore Phoenix competitors – Niki Puleio 21:38, Adrian Pearce 21:38, Kris Denholm 22:38 and Aled Hughes 22:45.
Tom Mahoney (Just Run Penybont) took sixth-place in 22:52 from Chris Collin (Ogmore Phoenix) pb 22:54, newcomer Gavin Glyndŵr Clements (unattached) 22:59, Keith Coleman (Ogmore Phoenix) 23:07 and regular top female Libby Lavis (Brackla Harriers) 24:32.
Second female to complete the course was Dawn Hopkins 29:15 (18th) ahead of Alexis Barrett (both Ogmore Phoenix) 32:50 (19th) and Valerie Morris (Yr Hen Blwyf) 34:19 (20th).
CORNELLY Striders were out in force last Saturday at the second staging of the Cosmeston Lakes 5K Parkrun in the Penarth suburbs.
Ian Southwell (Penarth & Dinas Runners) was triumphant in 18:18
NICKY Bennett (Ogmore Phoenix) was runner-up in the sixth staging of the annual Santa 5K Run at Aberavon Leisure Centre.
Once again Run4All Neath organised the event and they produced the winner in Chris Lloyd, who came home in 20:11.
Bennett was 25 seconds behind while Niki Puleio (Ogmore Phoenix), who a few hours earlier came second at Maesteg Parkrun, clocked 22:14 to claim seventh position.
Deborah Roberts-Goule (Porthcawl Runners) was first female finisher, recording a time of 22:25 to come eighth, and other fine runs came from Aled Hughes (Ogmore Phoenix) 23:13 (10th), Stephen Summers 24:15 (17th), Natasha Barton (both Bridgend) 25:25 (23rd), Jay Howells (Ogmore Phoenix) 26:24 (33rd), Claire Slaughter 27:09 (41st) and Robert Slaughter (both Porthcawl Runners) 27:09 (42nd).
JUST four seconds covered the topthree runners in a blanket finish last Sunday to the 211th staging of Bridgend Junior 2K Parkrun in Newbridge Fields.
Victory went to all-conquering Dan May (Cornelly Striders) in 8:10 while Morgan Rideout and Joshua Morgan (Bridgend) both clocked 8:14.
Top female Bryony Brace (Cardiff AAC) was hot on their heels, finishing in 8:21, and behind her came Ronan Adams (Pencoed Tri Club) 8:42, Samuel Cubbage 8:43, Lewis Durston 9:08, Freya Allen (Bridgend) 9:09, Sam Boyce 9:27 and Eloise Neenan 10:01. Personal best times came from Imogen Brown (11:50) and Maximiliano Calucci-Davis (11:52).