Harriers in a gold rush at county championships

Local athletes on county cross- country championship duty at the weekend wona stack of medals. Nene Valley Harriers had a particularly good day at Louth, where they emerged as the dominant club in the Lincolnshire Championships.

They picked up four individual gold medals and a silver plus two team titles.

Super veteran Philippa Taylor, who had a cracking 2012, started 2013 with a bang as well as she raced to victory in the senior ladies race. But teammate Cat Foley pushed her all the way with Taylor just edging home by a second.

Grace Mullins stormed home to win the ladies Under 20 title by over a minute and Lloyd Kempson made it a Nene Valley double in this age group by winning the men’s race by a 17- second margin.

Completing the individual gold run was Alex Hampson, who coasted home first in the Under 15 boys run.

Hampson received good support from Cameron Marshall ( 4th) and Bradley Spurdens ( 5th) for an emphatic team success while the senior women also landed the team prize through Taylor, Foley and Ruth Jones ( 5th).

Other local medallists at Louth were Peterborough Athletic Club’s Alexander Bevan ( 1st Under 13 boys), Bourne’s Megan Ellison ( 2nd Under 13 girls) and Stamford- based Aaron Scott ( 2nd senior men).

At St Neots in the Cambridgeshire Championships, Nene Valley also picked up an individual gold as Zak Stevens won the Under 13 boys race. They also won two silvers through Emma Gibbs( Under13 girls) and Chris Allison ( Under 17 men).

Peterborough AC won two individual silvers and a bronze thanks to Amber Park( Under11 girls), Benjamin Roberts( Under 11 boys) and Casey Hilliam ( Under 13 girls) respectively.

Hilliam, Paige Nealon ( 8th) and Megan Porter ( 11th) were team winners.

Glen Watts, the 26 year- old English steeple chase champion fromMarch, was crowned senior men’s champion.

The victorious Under 13 girls team from Peterborough AC. They are Casey Hilliam ( 3rd), Paige Nealon ( 8th) and Megan Porter ( 11th).

The Under 11 girls team from P AC whowere second. From the left they are Georgie Ivens Lappin ( 19th), Amber Park ( 2nd) and Katie Porter ( 7th).

The Bourne Under 13 girls team of ( from the left), Molly Bennett ( 12th), Leah Clark ( 13th) and Megan Ellison ( 2nd) whowere second at Louth.

The Nene Valley Under 13 boys team that wonat St Neots. From the left they are Oliver Oakley, ( 8th), Zak Stevens ( 1st) and Charlie Banford ( 13th).