The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Nene Valley Harriers had two individual winners as they travelled to RAF Cranwell for a match against the Air Training Corp’s (ATC) national team.
Five teams of Nene Valley athletes made the trip, with Matt Dowling and Alex Hampson storming to impressive individual wins.
The club’s athletes take part in the national finals for the ATC and their score is against the first four ATC athletes in each event (all results noted in brackets are the position in the Corp match compared to those for the actual championship).
The first win of the day for the Harriers was achieved by Dowling in the under-15 race. He took the field on from the hooter and had a marginal lead by the time they left the first field and gradually extended the lead over the 3.4km course, recording a good time of 13.53 minutes.
He was followed in by Harvey Hancock in seventh place (6 – 14.35mins), Matt Church in 16th (7 – 15.11mins) and George Woodard in 19th (8 – 15.25mins), who was chased to the line by a string of athletes including Dan Lawrence in 23rd (15.30mins).
Nene Valley’s second win of the day was always on the cards after Hampson asked whether there was a course record to beat.
In the under-20 race, he set off at a very impressive pace and was pulling away stride for stride before returning to the finishing area well clear of any other athletes in a time of 17.10mins for the 5k circuit.
Unfortunately, due to non-attendees on the day, Jordan Mayhew’s fifth-placed finish in 19.20mins did not result in a team win.
Mayhew was unfortunate not to be able to grab a fourth or third place as the respective competitors pulled away over the last half-mile.
Nene Valley were missing several key athletes due to their qualification for the English Schools’ Championship in Norwich on the same day.
Those who came along really enjoyed the experience and, just as importantly, the ATC athletes were able to earn their national colours.
Meanwhile, Hannah Knight was unlucky to miss out on a medal in the under-13 girls’ race – finishing in fourth place but just a few seconds from a medal in a time of 17.44mins.
She was well supported by Eden Oldfield in eighth place (6 – 18.38mins) and Abbey Wright finishing in 22nd with a time of 20.50mins for the shorter circuit of 3.4km.
Back on the longer 5km route, the under-17 men’s race started quickly with Oli Oakley getting involved from the start.
He finished in a tight fifth place with a creditable time of 24.30mins, which was equal time with fourth place.
Lewis Turner finished in 15th (25.37mins), while Codi-Leigh Middleton placed in 19th (26.17mins).
The Nene Valley team in the ladies’ race (under-17s and under-20s) was an equal split between the age groups in what was a tight race where only the winner was clear of the field.
Running the same 5k course as the men, Imogen Woodard ran well and just missed out on a medal with her fourth-placed finish in a time of 23.29mins.
Amy Gibbons was also in the finishing straight, but was out-sprinted to the line and took eighth place (6 – 23.55mins).
The two under-17s also ran well, with Kelsi Ellis a strong 11th (7 – 24.29mins) and Alyssa Carter claiming 13th spot (8 – 24.48mins).
