Last updated
28 February 2017
National Cross-Country,
Wollaton Park, Nottingham, 25
February 2017
Photos start here...
Full
results
here...
Fantastic results for our Club!
U13 Girls 1st
U17 Women 1st
U15 Girls 3rd
U15 Boys 5th
U13 Boys 8th
U17 Men 13th
Junior Men 13th
Senior Men 21st
under 13 girls 467
finished. Team 1st
4. Annie Thomas
6. Naomi Toft
25. Ellie Dolby
43. Maayan Radus
63. Heidi Forsyth
77. Lily Meers
113. Daniella Harper
146. Olivia Berry
164. Kelsey Pullin
167. Holly Sutton
Trott
448. Sofia Elliott
under 15 girls 300
finished. Team 3rd
16. Morgan Squibb
28. Yasmin Marghini
67. Lia Radus
70. Amy Miller
89. Lucrezia
Polloni
113. Zoe White
122. Jessica Neal
217. Niamh Milmo
241. Abigail Leeves
270. Isabelle Bridge
280. Lily Tappenden
288. Emily Davis
under 17 women 252
finished. Team 1st
16. Katy Ann
McDonald
26. Madalina
Samoila
37. Yasmin
Austridge
49. Millie Smith
69. Lotte Weitzel
87. Genevieve Allan
120. Grace Scopes
junior women 148
finished
11. Jess Keene
130. Sam Leighton
senior women 788
finished
195. Amber Reed
277. Jane Bradshaw
under
13 boys 458 finished. Team 8th
15. Tom Brash
43. Sam Reardon
103. Thomas
Penlington
172. Max Grigson
177. Matthew Smith
179. Ben Campbell
240. Jamie Sears
273. Oliver Robertson
417. Nicholas
Paddington
under 15 boys 379
finished. Team 5th
17. Matthew Francis
37. Peter Guy
125. Joseph
Georgiadis
148. Cameron Swatton
221. Jake Leng
236. Justin Strover
250. Benjamin Gardner
under 17 men 302
finished. Team 13th
82. Lewis Mills
106. Angus Harrington
155. Michael Eagling
157. Oscar Hussey
under 20 men 211
finished. Team 13th
82. Joss Barber
116. Charlie Davis
147. Marco Arcuri
168. Tom Desborough
177. Bertie
Harrington
179. James Crawley
senior men 1763
finished. Team 21st
59. Phil Sesemann
174. Andy Rayner
244. Alex Gibbins
245. Dan Kennedy
263. Will Ruiz
402. Peter Tucker
412. Ross Braden
544. Danny Brewer
623. Chris Tuck
662. Jon Vintner
970. Tim Ayres
1000+. Rod Harrington
1000+. Richard Hall
1000+. Nic Corry
Blackheath and Bromley HAC young athletes had their
most successful National at this year’s classic cross country course in
Nottingham, winning three team medals and seven athletes placed in the top
20.
Nearly sixty BB youngsters spent the weekend together
in Nottingham and brought the curtain down on the club winter season in
superb fashion with all our athletes excelling, reinforcing our position as
one of the strongest athletics clubs in the country.
After a good coach journey up, a gentle training run,
a splash in the lovely hotel swimming pool, dinner and a good nights sleep
it was down to business at Wollaton Park.
The 16th century Wollaton Hall was an impressive back
drop to a traditional cross country course made up of grass sections, wooded
areas, lakes, streams and tons / gallons of liquid mud. Those who managed to
stay on their feet still finished looking like they had fallen!
First up were the U17 girls and solid runs from all
our girls ended with the team tied on points with London rivals Herne Hill
Harriers, but victory was ours (on count back) as all our four scoring girls
finished ahead of all the HHH girls. A tight result but a well deserved
gold. Katy Ann McDonald led the team home in a fine 16th place with Madalina
Samoila a strong 26th and Yasmin Austridge and Millie Smith ran well placing
37th and 49th. Great runs also from Lottie Weitzel in 69th, Genny Allan in
87th and Grace Scopes in 120th.
The U13 girls continued in winning ways comfortably
securing the gold medals with two inside the top 10. Fabulous runs from
Anwen Thomas in 4th and just 3 second behind in 6th Naomi Toft. Ellie Dolby
was a strong 25th and Maayan Radus a great 43rd. Heidi Forsyth continues to
improve and placed a high 63rd. Lily Meers was a solid 77th, Daniella Harper
on the come back trail was 113th and Olivia Berry placed 146th. Ever
improving Kelsey Pullin crossed the line in 164th a second in front of her
room mate Holly Sutton Trot in167th and who was making her winter debut for
BB and great to see Sofia Elliot completing a very strong squad.
It was to be three medals from three races as the U15
girls competed strongly to claim the team bronze. Another gutsy performance
saw Morgan Squibb earn a well deserved top 20 spot placing 16th. Yasmin
Marghini was a fine 28th, Lia Radus ran well to finish 67th and Amy Miller
had another fantastic run and powered through the field on the second lap to
finish 70th. Another athlete making her BBHAC debut was Lucrezia Polloni
finishing well inside the top 100 in 89th. Zoe White was a strong 113th,
Jess Neal was 122nd and Niamh Milmo placed 217th. Abbie Leeves crossed the
line in 241st with Issy Bridge in 270th, Lily Tappenden recently back from
illness and injury was 280th and completing the squad was Emily Davis in
288th.
The U20 women only had two running and so couldn’t
record a scoring team but this didn’t stop Jess Keene from running a superb
race in a high quality field finishing 11th. Good to see Sam Leighton taking
a break from studying and ran well to finish 130th.
Twenty six boys made up the BBHAC contingent over the
four boys age group races and recorded their best set of collective team
results.
Highest placed of them was the U15 boys team finishing
an fabulous 5th. Matthew Francis running in his first National for BB ran a
sensibly paced race and look strong in the closing stages of the race and
crossed the line in an impressive 17th place. The ever determined Peter Guy
fought his way to a solid 37th and Joe Georgiadis ran well finishing 125th.
Cameron Swatton looked good throughout and scored his highest ever National
finish in 148th. Jake Leng ran well finishing in 221st with Justin Strover
236th and the unrecognisable Ben Gardiner, after a fall in a particularly
muddy section, placing 250th.
The large U13 boys squad combined well to finish a
respectable 8th led home by Tom Brash having had a brilliant run in an
impressive 15th. Sam Reardon backed up well in 43rd and Thomas Penlington
recorded a great run at 103rd despite not being at his fittest. Proving we
have strength in depth three seconds separated our next three athletes. Max
Gregson was a solid 172nd and Matt Smith was 177th. Matt entertained the BB
supporters producing a perfect dab as he ran past the team tent. Ben
Campbell also ran well in 179th. Great to see three black vests bunching
together well. Jamie Sears had a great National debut and with two more
years as an U13 his 240th was impressive as was Oliver Robertson 273rd who
still has another year in this age group. Nick Paddington worked well
throughout the two lap course and completed the strong U13 squad.
The U17 boys only had four runners and with four to
score we had no room for errors or injury and our boys didn’t disappoint
combining well to place 13th in a very tough age group, won by local Kent
rivals Tonbridge AC. Lewis Mills ran hard to finish a pleasing 82nd, Angus
Harrington on his way back to fitness will be happy with a 106th finish. Tri
athlete Michael Eagling put his running to good cause placing well up in
155th and consistent Oscar Hussey ran well crossing the line in 157th.
Our U20 men’s squad is normally depleted due to
university commitments (among other things) but this year we were blessed
with seven athletes. Unfortunately GB international Will Fuller had to pull
out due to a niggling injury but fortunately Will was still able to join us
for the National supper in the evening. The other 6 all ran well and
produced a decent 13th place finish. Joss Barber led the team home in a
great 82nd and Charlie Davis had his best run of the winter placing 116th.
Team captain Marco Arcuri ran a solid race placing 147th and Tom
Desborough’s long journey up from Brighton university was rewarded with a
168th finish. Also great to see Bertie Harrington make the journey down from
Newcastle university to run in his first National (and first time in a BB
vest for over a year) running solidly crossing the line in 177th just two
places in front of James Crawley in 179th.
The Blackheath and Bromley squad not only left their
mark on the 2017 National with some terrific results but they also left
their mark all over the hotel carpet! Once showered it was back to the pool
and then dinner where we were joined with many Past Presidents, parents,
siblings and supporters. A few good words of the days successes from our
President Bill Forster were followed by an eloquent speech from former girls
team captain Niamh Bridson Hubbard, as she paid tribute to the many years
Andy Frankish has served the club. Andy (Niamh and many of the girls coach)
has been a team manger at the club for nearly four decades and has decided
to call it a day so he can fully concentrate on his many coaching
commitments.
A disco followed with not a Barry Manilow song in
sight; followed by an impromptu MacDonald’s buffet, supplied by Marco and
Niamh BH!
This fantastic weekend would not have been possible
without the invaluable help from a few and huge thanks go to Hanna Cordell
for organising the hotel accommodation, Disco, coach travel and husband Dave
(that one slipped through the net!). Also thanks go to Dave Cordell and Ken
Daniel for putting up the team tent in a fantastic location near the start
and finish, and for clearing at the end of the day. Nick Swatton our summer
boys team manager stepped in seamlessly to help throughout the weekend,
surely ready to take on the winter role full time? Many thanks also to
Gillian Radus, Lia and Maayan’s mum who provide the whole squad with a
plentiful supply of bananas.
Nic Corry must also be thanked for ensuring the U17
boys had a full compliment of scoring members and even had time to run the
senior 12k National as well. Nic wasn’t quite up to holding off fellow upper
age group boys team manger Rod Harrington who now leads 2-0.
Final thanks go to two young athletes who truly helped
make the weekend a successful one. Marco Arcuri and Niamh Bridson –Hubbard
worked tirelessly and continually with our young athletes before, during and
after their competition and we at BBHAC are very proud of them as athletes
and as young adults. They are great ambassadors for our club and are
tremendous role models for our young athletes.
The National completes the domestic winter for club
athletes and now we just have remaining the English Schools and National
Inter counties cross country Championships and many of our athletes have
been selected to represent their counties.
Good luck to all.
Paul
Ken paid for a beer!!!!
