Wearmen on course for league title glory
Feb 22 2010 by Darren Kelso, The Journal
SUNDERLAND Harriers look set to regain the Senior Men’s Division One title after winning Saturday’s penultimate Start Fitness North Eastern Harrier League event at Temple Park, South Shields.
The Wearsiders are five points clear of their nearest rivals Morpeth and also provided the individual winner in Nathan Reed, who led all the way on the three-lapped course.
Jarrow’s Liam Jonston finished second from the medium pack, while Morpeth’s Matthew Nicholson clocked the fastest time finishing third from the fast pack.
Gateshead extended their lead at the top of the Division Two table, while Gosforth again won the Division Three competition.
Morpeth’s Jane Mooney won the senior women’s race from the fast pack for the second successive meeting.
Hayley Reed of Sunderland finished second, while another fast pack runner Claire Simpson of Chester-le-Street was third.
Defending champions Heaton won the team event and now head the table by three points.
Northumberland Schools junior champion Jed Marshall of Gateshead proved too strong for the opposition in the under-13 boys’ race, clocking the fastest overall time.
Gateshead’s Robbie Lorraine won the under-15 boys’ race, with Josh Brown of Tynedale gaining victory in the under-17 male event.
There were fast pack victories for Rebecca Oram of Tynedale (junior women) and Charmaine Porter of Jarrow and Hebburn (under-15 Girls). Philippa Chambers of Elswick won the under-13 girls’ race.
There was more success for Sunderland Harriers yesterday when Steven Potts won the rescheduled Old Monk 6 at Hart Village.
New Marske’s Richard Morrell held a 50-metre advantage over Potts, but took a wrong turning at the halfway point.
Morrell went back on course but had now dropped to third before moving through to second place 24 seconds behind the winner.
Sunderland veteran Brian Bewick finished in third.
Tracey Waller of host club Hartlepool Burn Road easily won the women’s race from another veteran, Gail Bell of Sedgefield.
l JENNY Meadows broke Kelly Holmes’ seven-year-old British record with a time of one minute 59.11 seconds at the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham on Saturday, taking 0.10secs off the mark set by double Olympic champion Holmes in Belgium in 2003.
The 28-year-old will next month travel to Doha for the Indoor World Championships as one of the favourites for a medal.
The Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for Doha will be announced tomorrow.
