Longwood Harriers staged their annual Hardcastle Memorial junior races.
These races were being held in memory of former Longwood Harriers president Richard Hardcastle, who died suddenly in 2012.
Hardcastle, a stalwart of Longwood for many years, often delayed his own training to take out the young athletes if the usual coach was not available. His family thought that it would be a tribute to him to put on these races for young athletes.
There were two races for young schoolchildren, the first for year 5-6 and the second for years 7-8 pupils.
Results, Year 5-6 boys: 1st Charlie Renning, 2nd Ruful Moore, 3rd Archie Walker.
Year 5-6 girls: 1st Jenny Hepworth, 2nd Kamita Gill, 3rd Sophie Gilbert
Year 7-8 boys. 1st Knighton Moore, 2nd Harris Walker
Year 7-8 girls: 1st Lindsay Hepworth, 2nd Hannah Edgington
The club also held a 10k race for senior athletes after the young athlete races.
This again was a small field but did include a number of veteran athletes who had run with, and had competed against Richard in years past.
The race was won by Darren Bradshaw, a former member of Longwood Harriers, now unattached, in an excellent time on a difficult course.
In second place was Darren Nockolls, of Pennistone Footpath Runners Club, and third was up-and–coming Longwood Under 17 Elliott Thompson.
The two Darrens had bided their time in the first half of the race, while the trio of young Longwood runners at the front, Elliott, Nat Stock and Niall O’Connell battled it out for third place.
The first lady to finish was Denby Dale Travellers’ Bridget Coomber in sixth place.
Results, Senior men: 1st Darren Bradshaw (unnattached) 37 minutes 58 seconds, 2nd Darren Nockolls (Pennistone Footpath Runners Club) 38.29, 3rd Elliott Thompson (Longwood Harriers) 38.53.
Ladies: 1st Bridget Coomber (Denby Dale Travellers) 40.43, 2nd Eileen Mannion (Wakefield AC) 47.14, 3rd Julie Fields (Stainland Lions) 47.48
Longwood results: 4th. Niall O’Connell 39.12, 5th Josh Elderfield 40m.00s, 8th Nat Stock 41.21, 17th Andrew Norgate 46.41, 21st Michael Proctor 49m.28s, 22nd Heather Mitchell 49.35. 23rd James Scholes 49.54, 26th Bridget Walsh 54.01, 28th Karen Mitchell 54.57, 30th Geraldine Ward 58.29, 34th Richard Walsh 61.33.
