Strong victory bolsters title bid

Jan 14 2008 The Journal

DEFENDING champions Sunderland lead the Men’s Division One after taking team honours at their own Start Fitness North Eastern Harrier League promotion at Farringdon on Saturday.

With two fixtures remaining, Sunderland now hold a two-point advantage over Elswick. Morpeth extended their advantage in Division Two.

On the testing course, Michael Dawson of North Shields Polytechnic won the individual race, while Sunderland’s Brian Rushworth, now in the Over-45s category, clocked the fastest time, leading the Wearsiders home in fifth position.

Gateshead’s Jessica Trowbridge won the senior women’s race. Morpeth took the team title from Heaton, who extended their lead in the table.

Steph Bruce of Tynedale won the Under-13s event. Bruce’s time was also quicker than any of the Under-15s girls. Hannah Rank of Morpeth won the Under-s15s race. North-Eastern champion Adam Harrington of Morpeth clocked the fastest time in the Under-13 boys’ race. Track specialist Emma Toogood of Durham easily won the junior women’s race, while Blaydon’s Helen Gertig was quickest, finishing in second place, her time only bettered by four seniors.

Meanwhile several championship bests were set at the North Eastern Counties’ Indoor Championships at Gateshead Indoor Performance Centre at the weekend.

Chris Kirk, now with the Newham club, bettered his old figures in the senior long jump by 35cms, and gained a clear victory in the 60m final. Adebayo Babatunde of Middlesbrough retained his senior triple jump title.

Blaydon’s Philip Brown retained the Under-20s shot title, breaking his own figures from last year. English Schools’ bronze medallist Chloe Gill of Middlesbrough set new figures in the Under-17s triple jump.

Lauren Dewdney of Gateshead retained her Under-20s hurdles title.

Gateshead’s Tim Parkin repeated his 2007 victory in the Under-17s pole vault, bettering the previous record by 40cms.

In the under 13 group, Middlesbrough’s Patrick O’Connor broke the record in the hurdles and high jump. Jessica Read of Gateshead retained her titles in the Under-15s 60m and long jump. Faye Bowles of Darlington won a hotly-contested Under-17s 60m.

Arguably the stand-out athlete was Middlesbrough’s Ashley Wood, who won two gold and two bronze medals, and achieved an impressive score to win the pentathlon earlier in the week.