Kevin Slattery and Gethin Wyn Jones strike gold at Mold in Welsh Championships

Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery

North Wales Road Runners Club chairman and veteran athlete Kevin Slattery and fast improving team-mate Gethin Wyn Jones both struck gold at Mold last Sunday.

The pair were crowned North Wales champions, with Kevin also winning his MV65-69 age category during the Flintshire 10k race.

Kevin put in a tremendous performance to tackle the hard and hilly course, which included two tough laps along a twisty route and around the windy streets of Mold.

He quickly showed his rivals a clean pair of heels and was 35th overall out of 235 finishers and claimed his double success in a fast time of 44 minutes 49 seconds.

Four club runners including Kevin entered the race and additionally ran in the North Wales 10k Championships.

Gethin Wyn Jones was another runner in good form after shaking off recent health problems, and he confirmed his fightback with a very positive run to clinch gold in his M35-39 age cat in 41st place overall in 46.13.

Rob Fryer was also on song, finishing well in 75th place in 50.26, with fellow vet Don Hale claiming 89th spot in only his second race since the pandemic in 52.26.

*The race was won by Rhodri Owen (Meirionydd) in 33.02, with Scott Nixon (Cardiff AC) 2nd in 33.30 and Simon Roberts (Buckley AC) 3rd in 36.15.

*Provisional results for Flintshire 10k:
https://www.runwales.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Flintshire-10k-Results.pdf

Harry Driscoll second at Flintshire 5k and wins young age cat

Harry Driscoll finished second overall at the highly competitive Flintshire 5k race at the weekend and turned in a great showing against more experienced opposition to confirm his pedigree as a young and very promising athlete.

Harry ran hard throughout the race on a challenging and undulating course, and won his M20-24 age cat, finishing in 19 minutes 23 seconds, and he was just 10 seconds ahead of third-placed Luke Crofts in 19.33. The overall race was won by David Burrows (Northern Vets AC) in 17.54 and attracted 154 varied athletes from across the UK.

*Provisional results for Flintshire 5k:
https://www.runwales.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Flintshire-5k-Results.pdf

Llyr wins Staunton Harold Duathlon

Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts won a prestigious Duathlon event last weekend following several near-misses at his new favourite sport.

The NWRRC athlete has put in a tremendous amount of hard work in recent months to be able to challenge for this well-deserved victory and after the event confirmed: “Something different today, the Staunton Harold Duathlon. I did the Super-Sprint, and I was well-chuffed as the winner.

“I am happy with that. I won all the legs, and I even held my own on the bike after being overtaken in Transition!”

Llyr’s challenge included a 13k bike race interspersed with two split runs each over about 2.5k. His time on the bike was 25 minutes 26 seconds, and his two runs included times of 9 minutes 23 seconds, and 9 minutes 58 seconds.

Helen Hannam and brothers win podium places at Race for Life

Helen Hannam and two of her brothers won podium positions in the Middlesbrough Race for Life 5k and 10k events last Sunday.

The popular NWRRC athlete finished 2nd overall and was the 1st female in the 5k race with a time of 24 minutes 31 seconds, but her brother Thomas Rapson won this event in 22.40.

And on a remarkable day, Helen’s other brother David also finished 1st in the 10k race, running home in 45 minutes 1 second, whilst her sister, mother, and nieces walked the 5k course and finished in 45-minutes.

She was obviously thrilled by their efforts and said: “It was a proper winning family day at Race for Life at Albert Park in Middlesbrough, with my brother Thomas and me finishing first and second in the 5k Race for Life, and my other brother David won the 10k event, and my sister, mum and nieces walked the 5k.”

Jamie beats target at Amsterdam Marathon

Jamie Tharme enjoyed a good run in the Amsterdam Marathon last weekend and achieved his target of dipping under the four-hour barrier.

Fresh from his other recent endurance events, Jamie smashed his record and finally finished in 3 hours 53 minutes and 26 seconds.

Cheshire 10k race

Samantha (Sam) Williams travelled across the border to compete in the Cheshire 10k race at Ardley Hall on Saturday and enjoyed a successful outing in 306th place overall out of 548 finishers.

And she was the 69th female in 54 minutes 25 seconds.