The sun shone brightly on Winchester Running Club athletes competing at the club’s first track and field championships at Portsmouth’s Mountbatten Centre. With the first hurdle to overcome being the closure of the M27 it was a slightly frantic start to Saturday’s racing.
First up was the 3000m with U17 and U20 runners taking to the track at the same time. Having led for much of the U17 race, Casper Wilson was eventually pushed into 2nd place in 9.42.67. He should however take heart from a continuing return to fitness and form that should stand him in good stead other the remainder of the season. Aiden Furby again put in a strong and consistent performance to share the podium with Casper in 3rd place in 9.59.39. The U20 men’s race saw a strong Gurnsey trio occupy the first three places with Stanley Parkinson finishing 4th in 9.25.04 and James Lewis 5th 9.27.45
Heats of the 800m were next to take place. Seth Noott was somewhat unfortunate to race in the first heat and though his time of 2.07.69 was fast enough to qualify for the final, his position of 6th place pushed him just outside qualification. In the U17 women’s 1500m, Poppy Taylor ran strongly to finish 4th in 4.51.66, not quite having the strength to hold on for the final lap at this stage of the season.In the senior women’s 1500m race, Helen Hall was the firm favourite and ran to form, claiming the club’s first gold medal of the day in 4.26.34.
The climax to day one was the U20 mens 800m. Will Atkins ran strongly from the front and was duly crowned county champion in 1.59.04. Stanley Parkinson picked up his second 4th place having recovered from his exertions in the 3000m earlier in the day.
Sunday if anything was slightly hotter but the races kept on coming. Poppy Taylor came 2nd in her 800m heat in a time of 2.21.54. With a change to the format from EA, the U15 boys 1500m became a time trial rather than heats qualifying for a final. Tom Savill ran an excellent race in 4.33.24 but unfortunately the first heat set the bar for heat 2 meaning he was just pushed out of the medal positions. The U17 men’s 1500m had two representatives with Ruben Price finishing in a well deserved 3rd plac in 4.13.66 and Seth Noott having overcome the disappointment of the previous day, finishing 4th in 4.16.99.
The final two races saw Saturday’s gold medalists attempting to do the middle-distance double. In excellent races, both just missed out returning with silver medals. Will Atkins in the 1500m in 4.12.68 and Helen Hall in the 800m in 2.12.71
Well done to all those athletes who participated across the weekend. Thanks also to parents, families and friends who provided fantastic support and encouragement to all the participants. WRC is such a strong team both on and off the track – the future looks red, white and black!