Masters are on top form at Monkton

THE North East Masters’ Athletics Association was applauded after hosting the annual British Masters track 10,000 metres championships for the first time.

Despite a busy racing calendar over the weekend, a healthy 48 competitors lined up at Jarrow’s Monkton Stadium.

Making her track debut, Durham City’s Great Britain Ultra International and Scotland 2014 Commonwealth Games marathon representative Joasia Zakrzewski took on the field in the first race to secure the W40 title. The Dumfries-based GP

was doggedly followed by the W35 winner, Luton AC’s Charlene Jacobs-Conradie, while local athletes Kirstin Farquhar (Crook) and Jarrow and Hebburn duo Elaine Leslie and Heather Robinson took the remaining women’s titles. England Masters Cross-Country international Leslie has recently moved up into the W50 category.

Arthur Daley (Gloucester AC) made the trip north worthwhile with M65 success, while Mick Casey (Northern Masters and Wolds Vets), recent winner (1500m) of the inaugural North of England Masters Championships, won the M70 age group as Ken Chapman (Kimberworth Striders) and Reg Checkley (Heaton) landed the M75 and M80 titles respectively.

Charnwood’s Mick Kingsbury (M50) won the second race of the day, with runner-up Gregg Penn of North Shields Poly missing out on a BMAF silver medal by only entering the NEMAA Championships, which was held in conjunction.

Durham’s Steve Everett was third overall, although his efforts were rewarded with the M55 title.

England 2016 Masters CrossCountry international Brian Martin from Quakers (Darlington), led home the M60 field from Laurence Taylor (North Yorks Moors) with David Nicholson (Morpeth) winning bronze.

At the end of a competitive series of Masters contests, the NEMAA took seven age category titles and 17 medals in all, with Farquhar, Leslie and Robinson also improving the NEMAA all-time track 10,000m records.