30th December 2007

Last Action Highlights Of 2007 - Updated

 

31 December 2007

 

Fresh from leading the Norwich Union Great Britain and Northern Ireland Senior Women to the team silver medals at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Toro, Kate Reed (Bristol and West AC) returned to Spain to end 2007 in great style with a 10km PB.

 

She clocked 31 minutes 52 seconds, a 16-seconds improvement, at the massively popular Nike San Silvestre Race in Madrid on New Year’s Eve to move up to third in the Power of 10 rankings for the year behind Mara Yamauchi (Harrow AC) and Jo Pavey (Exeter Harriers).

 

Running aggressively throughout the high quality event, Reed led the women until the last 200 metres, when she was overhauled in the uphill finishing straight by Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya), who clocked 31:50. Among the quality ‘scalps’ taken by Reed, the new European Cross Country Champion Marta Dominguez finished third in 32:27 in front of her own adoring public. The women’s course record of 31:16 is held by Paula Radcliffe (Bedford and County AC). The Men’s race went to Menjo Kiprono (Kenya) in 28:35.

 

For full results, please click on Silvestre

 

Rob Bugden (also Bristol and West AC), who was robbed of a place in the Norwich Union GB Under 23 Men’s medal-winning team in Toro when his passport went missing in the post, won the Nos Galan Race in Mountain Ash, Wales, in 14:17.

 

For full details, please click on Nosgalan

 

Helen Clitheroe (Preston Harriers), who will be aiming for the steeplechase at next summer’s Olympic Games in Beijing, ended 2007 on a high at the Ribble Valley 10km in the Lancashire town that shares her surname.

 

She clocked a year’s best of 32 minutes 42 seconds to lead home the women, finishing 21st overall. It hoists her to sixth in the year’s Power of 10 rankings. Antony Ford (Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde AC) was first over the line in 29:51.

 

For details click on Ribble

 

Tom Lancashire (Bolton United Harriers), 1500m bronze medallist at this summer’s Norwich Union World Trials and UK Championships, won the Reebok Sale Festive 5 in Manchester in 23:32.

 

For details click on Sale

 

Rachel Townend (Winchester and District AC) battled the blustery conditions brilliantly at Serpentine RC’s Last Friday of the Month 5km to win the women’s race in 15:56, a minute quicker than her track best for the distance. She was seventh overall; Tom Penfold (Birchfield Harriers) won in 15:09.

 

For details click on Serpentine

 

Melissa Hawtin (Oxford City AC), who was second in the Under 15 Girls’ race at last month’s UK Cross Challenge meeting in Liverpool, was allowed to guest in the Senior Women’s race at today’s Oxfordshire Cross Country League meeting – and finished second to Frances Briscoe (White Horse Runners).

 

For details click on Oxford

 

Two young members of Marshall Milton Keynes AC broke age group records in the Aylesbury Boxing Day 5km road race. Elliot Winter lowered the Under 17 Men’s course best to 17:23 and first-year Under 15 Melanie Wood clocked 19:15 in her first ever road race.

 

Hundreds took part in the Data Connection Indoor Meeting at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre in North London. For details, click on Datameet

   

If you are aware of any more highlights involving UK athletes, please send the details to UK Athletics communications officer Trevor Frecknall at tfrecknall@hotmail.com