PORTHCAWL 5K PARKRUN

ROWAN Hobbs switched venue last Saturday, and maintained a winning streak in taking the 257th staging of Porthcawl 5k Parkrun, writes Tony Poole.

The Brackla Harriers runner, who had carded 11 straight victories in the corresponding Maesteg Parkrun, clocked a fine winning time of 17 minutes 57 seconds in cold conditions along the Wales Coastal Path to Rest Bay and back.

And Hobbs got to within 16 seconds of the personal best time he re- corded during the 243rd Porthcawl run in the approach to Christmas.

The event followed a St Patrick’s Day theme, but there was no luck of the Irish regarding runner-up Donovan Williams-Hale (Bridgend), who completed the course in 18:27.

Third-placed Dafydd Jones (unattached) clocked 18:27 with the remaining top-10 places going to Graeme Rand (Bridgend) 19:01, Dave Bennett (Porthcawl Runners) 19:08, Christopher Jeynes (Brackla Harriers) 19:08, Michael Furness (Porthcawl Runners) pb 19:10, Peter Osborne (Llanelli AAC) 19:37, Ian Ogilvie (Brackla Harriers) 19:45 and Gareth Thomp- son (unattached) 20:08.

Top female in 15th position was once more Deborah Goule (Porthcawl Runners), who this time around clocked 20:53.

Second female home was Clare Hughes (Bridgend) 22:29 (28th) from Elaine Wharmby (Pegasus RC, Cardiff) 22:31 (29th), Fleur Jones (Cornelly Striders) 22:46 (31st), Nicola Perry-Gower (unattached) 23:16 (38th) and Jane Ogilvie (Brackla Harriers) 23:40 (43rd).