It was a double victory for youth at this year’s Longwood Harriers Cross Country Handicap races.
Students Kirsty Leih and Nathaniel Stock took the honours in the women’s and men’s senior races.
The event took place at a very wet and muddy, Leeds Road Playing Fields and the women’s showdown was won by Leih in 22 minutes 27 seconds.
She managed to defeat the handicapper and her opposition to finish 50 seconds ahead of Rebecca Morris (23.17) in second place.
The senior men’s race was won by Stock in 39.18 after a close battle with rivals Niall O’Connell (39m.43) and Elliot Thompson (40.00).
Veteran Ian Mitchell must have thought he was in with a chance of victory, having been in the lead until half a lap from home when the three ‘young guns’ swept by him in their surge to the finish.
The Under 11 years race was won by Isabel White, while the Boys race was won by Sam Wyatt ahead of Tiger Steel and the Girls race was won by Alex Walker.
Results
Fastest Actual Time – Women’s: Natalie McGuire 15.09.
Fastest Actual Time – Men’s: Nathaniel Stock 32.48.
Other senior women’s times: Samantha Lister 23.49, Karen Mitchell 23.51, Linda Norgate 23.52, Bernie Walsh 24.36, Suzanne Pickersgill 25.10.
Other senior men’s times: 4th Ian Mitchell 40.02, 5th Donald Kennedy 40.50, 6th James Scholes 41.22.
Longwood Harriers staged a Sportshall Athletics event at the Leeds Road Sports Barn.
The annual event, put on for the younger members of the Harriers, was for athletes in age groups from Under 11 to Under 17 who competed in seven different event – sprinting, hurdling, standing long jump, triple jump, chest pushing a heavy ball and speed bouncing over a low hurdle for a minute.
In the Under 11 years girls section the winner was Charlotte Walker, closely followed by Isabel White, while the Under 11 years boys event was won by Tyler Winterbottom from second placed Isaak Hanson.
In the Under 13 years girls event was a three-way dead-heat with Rose Coulson, Emily McLachlan and Alex Walker each scoring 14 points after the seven events.
Lee-Van McGilvary was winner of the Under 13 years boys section, followed by Tiger Steel and Monroe D’Shepherd.
There was a close finish in the Under 15 years girls event with Rhianna Finch beating Abby Bakewell by 39 points to 37, while third was Caitlin Lunn, fourth Natalia Duke, fifth Katie Bull and sixth Anna Shaw.
The Under 15 years boys brought a win for Zak Duke on 11 points from Saul Shepherd who was one point behind.
The Under 17 boys event between year-long rivals Niall O’connell, Nathaniel Stock and Elliott Thompson resulted in a win for O’Connell, with Stock second and Thompson third.
