Bailes shakes off pack for memorial success
AROUND 500 competitors observed an impeccable two-minute silence before setting off on the 98th running of Heaton Harriers’ Memorial 10k Road Race which weaved its way around the Tarmac tracks of Newcastle Town Moor.
It was a colourful sight once the athletes were set off on their way and despite the low thermometer reading, the pace quickly warmed up with eventual winner Adrian Bailes making sure of a hot pace.
Bailes, who finished third last year and fourth in 2016, was joined in the early stages by West Country visitor Jariath McKenna, Durham City’s Dan Jenkin, Mark Long, of Morpeth, New Marske’s Lewis GambleThompson and Gateshead’s Conrad Franks.
The sextet were still locked together at the half-way point. However, moments later the race was quickly turned on its head as Bailes made an early bid for glory.
Only Bristol and West athlete McKenna went with him. McKenna’s only other outing in the North East was when posting the second fastest time in the recent Start Fitness North East Harrier League fixture at Gosforth Park. On that occasion, Bailes also finished ahead of him.
It wasn’t until the final kilometre that Bailes managed to shake off his shadow to come home in 31min 29secs, his fastest on the course and 19 seconds quicker than he’d ran 10k before.
“I’m pleased with that,’’ said Bailes. “To win the North East Counties title is a bonus and it shows that I’m getting back to where I want to be.’’
At the finish, Bailes had a 10-second cushion over the runner-up as Gamble-Thompson eased away from Franks in the closing stages to claim third place. With McKenna not eligible for a county medal, it meant Gamble-Thompson was awarded the silver behind Bailes with Franks receiving the bronze award.
While Bailes was winning the Memorial race for the first time, Wearside Olympian Aly Dixon took the major honours in the women’s race for the fourth time.
The Sunderland Stroller had a run of three successive victories from 2012-2014, setting a course record four years ago of 34:04.
Now in the over-40 age group, it wasn’t surprising that she couldn’t match those figures, although her winning time yesterday of 35:27 was still impressive as she crossed the line in 24th place overall.
Dixon was always leading and although she slowed slightly in the second half of the contest, she still managed to win by over a minute and a half.
The promoting club’s Danielle Smythe showed that she is returning to form by finishing runner-up (37:11) with North Shields Poly’s Jacqueline Penn completing the one-two-three in 38:51.
It was a double celebration for Newcastle-based Tyne Bridge Harriers who came out on top to claim both the men and women’s team awards, the men being led home by sixth-placed James Dunce and the women by fourth-placed Sophie Marr.