CALUM IN A CANTER AS MILLIE BREESES HOME
GATESHEAD’S
Calum Johnson and Morpeth’s Millie Breese claimed major victories at a testing
118th running of the North Eastern Counties Cross-Country
Championships in Temple Park, South Shields. Johnson, who disappointingly
missed out on a place in the European Championships earlier in the month,
showed a clean pair of heels to a near 300-strong field to lift the coveted
Wilkinson Sword Trophy for a third time while Breese, who could have lined up
in the under-20 contest, continued her excellent form to make it a winning
debut two weeks after lifting the Scottish East District Championship title in
Stirling
SENIOR
MEN (10.8k)
AFTER a steady opening kilometre which was dominated by Morpeth vests punctuated by Johnson, Houghton’s Chris Coulson and Filmon Teame Eyob (TS Harriers) the pace increased as Johnson eased himself to the front followed by Coulson and Finn Brodie (Morpeth) as the gaps behind the trio began to widen. Going into the final circuit the leading positions remained the same with Johnson having nearly a minute advantage over Coulson with Brodie around 30 seconds back.
It was a happy Johnson who crossed the line ahead of last year’s fourth-placer Coulson with Lawrence McCourt coming home strongly on the final lap to claim the bronze award ahead of Morpeth team-mate Brodie. After receiving the impressive winners’ trophy, Johnson commented: “I’ll always support the North East Championships when I can, even if I’d been selected to run in Turkey last weekend I was still planning to turn out today.’’ Johnson adding his thoughts about the course on his latest success: “It was a true cross-country test with a bit of everything mud, inclines, up and down and places where you could really stretch out, the course builders did a really good job and I hope everyone who turned out today enjoyed themselves as much as I did.”
It came as no surprise that Morpeth retained
the team trophy with Phil Winkler (5th), Josh Fiddaman (6th),
Ellis Hetherington (7th) and Sam Hancox (14th) backing up
McCourt and Brodie to total a superb 39pts; Gateshead claimed the silver awards
(99pts) and Sunderland bronze (221pts)
SENIOR
WOMEN (7.2k)
THE final event of the day saw the temperatures plummet and the muddy stretches worsen as a group of half-a-dozen or so had detached itself in the early stages from the rest of the near 200-strong field. However, going into the final circuit of two Morpeth duo Catriona Macdonald and Millie Breese were striding head-to-head as they eased away from the pack.
The pair were still neck-and-neck before entering the long finishing straight but it was the younger Northumbrian who managed to sprint clear to win by just five seconds. While it was a debut senior victory for Breese for Macdonald it was a case of another runners-up spot having finished second last year and in 2022 though she did top the podium in 2021.
Behind the leading pair a huge battle ensued in the
race for the bronze medal. Wallsend’s Jennifer Berry had a small advantage
entering the home straight but a determined effort by Holly Lawrence managed to
catch her just before the line to edge home by just one second and confirm a
one-two-three for Morpeth. With Poppy Buck in 10th place it was
another commanding team success for Morpeth in the four-to-score contest
finishing with 16pts; Sunderland, led home by Grace Carroll in fifth place,
finished second on 89pts with a jubilant Jesmond Joggers finishing in third
place (110pts) led home by 17th-placed Ciara Sinclair.
JUNIOR
MEN (7.2k)
LAST
year Joe Dixon (Morpeth) finished in second place but on this occasion he knew
he wanted to go one better and that’s the way it turned out as he stamped his
authority on proceedings from the off and come home 12 seconds clear of North
Shields Poly’s Ben Sproats who was making his county championship debut.
Dixon’s Morpeth team-mate Bertie Marr claimed the bronze award 20 seconds
adrift of Sproats. Morpeth, with Ethan Bond in fifth-place, helped the
Northumbrians to team gold (9pts) ahead of Middlesbrough (Mandale), who were
the only other club to close in with 32pts.
UNDER-20/17
WOMEN (4.6k)
HOUGHTON’S
Charlotte Dillon found moving up an age group no problem as she claimed the
under-20 title at the first time of asking. Twelve months ago on the same
course Dillon topped the podium as an under-17 having previously won the
under-15s in 2020 and 2021 so it came as no surprise that she came out on top
once again though Elswick’s Imogen Bungay kept her in her sights throughout the
proceedings to follow her home just five seconds adrift to claim the silver
award. Next across the line was first under-17 and former under-13 champion,
Zara Jones of Darlington who just held off Blackhill’s Hatti Stead by three
seconds with Alnwick’s Isabella Oldfield claiming the under-17 bronze medal in
fifth place overall. Third placed under-20 was Birtley’s Katie Francis in sixth
place. North Shields Poly, led by ninth-placed Darcy Tullis, won the team
section with 37pts followed by Darlington on 15pts and Morpeth with 50pts.
UNDER-15
BOYS (3.6k)
NORTH
EAST 3,000 metres champion James Sturman added the cross-country title to his
bow after pulling away mid-race from main rival, Darlington’s Kirsten-Kyle
Sridhar. At the finish the North Shields Poly athlete had a cushion of six
seconds over Sridhar with Wallsend’s Kasper Pearson finishing in third place a
further 16 seconds adrift. Darlington, who fielded eight athletes, won the team
race with Rowan Steel (10th) and Luke Gardner (11th)
backing up Sridhar to total 23pts; Wallsend finished second on 50pts followed
by Durham City with 57pts.
UNDER-15
GIRLS (3.6k)
MOVING
up an age group proved no problem for New Marske’s Gabrielle Pinder. The
Tees-sider finished runner-up last year in the under-13 championship and her
victory was one of the biggest margins of the day as she crossed the line 39
seconds clear of Houghton’s Holly Robison, who was second last year with last
year’s under-13 champion Olivia Murphy (Birtley) collecting bronze on this
occasion. Birtley, with Kitty Graham (11th) and Niamh Phillipson (15th)
backing up Murphy, won the team title with 29pts, just four less than
Darlington with Morpeth receiving the bronze medals with 50pts.
UNDER-13
BOYS (2.75k)
A
DING-DONG struggle eventually saw North Shields Poly’s Noah Penfold prevail by
eight seconds over Darlington’s Ollie Curran with Penfold’s team-mate. Peter
Davies completing the one-two-three a further 12 seconds back. The new champion
was having his first taste of championship competition after taking all before
him when competing at under-11 level and he showed he can be a force to be
reckoned with at the older age group. Meanwhile, Curran’s runner-up spot comes
on the back of an excellent sixth place in the British Cross Challenge fixture
in Sefton Park, Liverpool. The Poly edged the team contest, with Edward Watson
in seventh place backing up Penfold and Davies for a total of 11 points,
Darlington were second with 15pts with Morpeth third on 50pts.
UNDER-13
GIRLS (2.75k)
JUNIOR
Great North Run age-group winner Poppie Phillipson led a Birtley one-two with
multi-eventer Izzy Hall crossing the line just four seconds adrift of her
team-mate. Elswick’s Ayla Blight, who was 13th last year, battled
all the way to the finish despite picking up an injury to claim the bronze
award. Despite having the first two home Birtley didn’t have a third counter
leaving Elswick to win the team race with Millie Robson (15th) and
Niamh Logan (20th) backing up Blight for a total of 38 points. Wallsend
and Morpeth both scored 50 points with the North Tyneside trio claiming the
silver awards on countback.
UNDER-11
BOYS and GIRLS (1.6k)
THE non-championship contests attracted over 100 competitors with victory in the boys’ event going to Darlington’s Acer Tarn in 6min 30secs who finished three seconds ahead of North Shields Poly’s Matthias Gheorghin with Juan Figueroa Gazmuri (Phoenix Flyers) a further two seconds back in third spot.
While the
boys contest was a close affair the girls was a very different episode with
North Shields Poly’s Ada Penfold storming home to win by 32 seconds in a time
of 6min 34secs. Gosforth’s Ruby Collins claimed the silver award followed
across the line by Penfold’s Poly team-mate Elodie Soward (7:16).
**AN excellent cross-country championships would not have been possible without the support of numerous people and organisations. Firstly, thanks to Mark Davinson of Derwentside AC and his team for hosting the championships; all the technical officials and volunteer marshals who were at their posts for over six hours; to the first aid team and South Tyneside Council for the use of the facilities and to Start Fitness who have supported North East athletics for over two decades. Finally, a huge pat on the back to all the athletes who took part and the Association looks forward to next year when the Championships return once again to Alnwick
BILL
McGUIRK
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