ATHLETICS
PORTHCAWL 5K PARKRUN
WELSH international James Hunt last Saturday motored to victory in the 262nd staging of Porthcawl 5k Parkrun, writes Tony Poole.
The Cardiff AC member, who trains with the Bridgend club, carded the seventh best event time of 15 minutes 46 seconds.
However, it was 34 seconds outside the personal best time he achieved back in April 2017 when triumphant in Porthcawl event number 211.
In sultry conditions along the Wales Coastal path, 351 runners on this occasion faced the starter.
Runner-up in a personal best (pb) time of 18:06 was Dafydd Jones (unattached) while another pb of 18:42 came from third- placed Dave Bennett (Porthcawl Runners).
The next 10 finishers also broke the 20-minute barrier, and these runners were Graeme Rand (Bridgend) 18:44, Paul Deaton (Southville Running Club) pb 18:47, Jordan Groves (unattached) 18:59, Ian Ogilvie (Brackla Harriers) 19:02, Nick Stocker (Bridgend) pb 19:10, Leo King (unattached) pb 19:20, Joseph Mainwaring (Porthcawl Runners) pb 19:27, Daniel Glen (Bridgend) 19:35, Harry Davies (unattached) first-time competitor 19:36 and Michael Furness (Porthcawl Runners) 19:40.
Deborah Goule (Porthcawl Runners) was top female for a 40th time, and is now just 10 behind leader Jessica Haggerty (Cornelly Striders).
She finished 17th in 20:44 from Fleur Jones (Cornelly Striders) 22:19 (38th), Lauren Davies (Pencoed Tri Club) 23:36 (52nd), Jane Ogilvie (Brackla Harriers) 23:48 (56th), Louise Mordue (Porthcawl Runners) pb 23:57 (58th) and Anna Bryant (unattached) firsttime competitor 24:29 (69th).
MAESTEG 5K PARKRUN
YOUNG Bridgend runner Devin Coombes last Saturday registered a personal best in a second Maesteg 5k Parkrun success.
In only a second visit to Maesteg Welfare Park – he took the 20th staging last December in a time of 18:29 – he lopped six seconds of that time.
Adrian Pearce was second in a pb best time of 19:21 which comfortably replaced 19:35 when fin- ishing second last month to Peter Woodward (Forest of Dean) in race number 34.
Third-placed Adrian Weaver, a first-time competitor, crossed the finishing line in 20:37 ahead of Paul Speyer (Brackla Harriers) 21:00, Robert Golden 21:45, Paul Kearns (both unattached) 21:49, Kris Denholm 22:13, Aled Hughes (both Ogmore Phoenix Runners) 22:28, Tomas Stephens (unattached) pb 22:34 and Kevin James (Ogmore Phoenix Runners) pb 22:36.
First female home in 13th position was Claire Dunbar-Bowen (Ogmore Phoenix Runners) in a pb 23:04 from Catherine Hamer (unattached) firsttime competitor 24:10 (15th), Juliet Amner (Ogmore Phoenix Runners) pb 25:20 (19th), Katlin O’Neill (unattached) first-time competitor 25:36(21st), Denise Bradley (Ogmore Phoenix Runners) pb 25:48 (22nd) and Catrin Rowlands (unattached) pb 25:57.
BRIDGEND JUNIOR 2K PARKRUN
EVE Ruby Hickman last Sunday pulled off a first win on a 23rd visit to Bridgend Junior 2k Parkrun in Newbridge Fields.
The young Celtic Tri runner took the 132nd staging of the event in a time of 8 minutes 20 seconds.
This was 25 seconds outside her personal best that was recorded back in October 2016 when finishing fourth to Dafydd Pratchett (Bridgend) in run number 59.
Runner-up Dylan Jones completed the course in 8:37 with the next nine finishers beating the 10-minute barrier.
They were headed by third-placed Adam Davis (Bridgend) 8:56, Mia Allen (Bridgend) 8:58, Ronan Adams (Pencoed Tri Club) pb 8:59, Jessica Crawley (Bridgend) 9:04, Ryan Ellis pb 9:19, Matthew Bridges 9:23, Luke Woodhouse 9:38, Ariannah Thomas 9:55 and Benjamin Lewis pb 9:58.
Another top-20 personal best times were set, and they came from Eloise Newman, Luke Watson, Gruffudd Roberts, Joseph McDowell, Jasmine Mannion, Maisie Fowler, Freya Helling, Molly Ann McDowell, Joseph Lewis, Xia Parry, Alice Hatterell, Lili Whitcombe, Danny Beal, Mali Williams, Natalie Self, Ava Turner, Grace Clarke, Oliver Nation, Penelope Payne and Luke Symmonds.