Evergreen M55s medal again
For the third year in a row, a WGEL M55 road relay trio has medalled at the prestigious National Masters Road Relay Championships at Sutton Park, near Birmingham. After winning gold in 2014 and silver in 2015, this year another very exciting race produced a bronze for our men.
This year Alun Evans, relatively untested at this level, came into the team to replace Richard Holland, and took leg 1. The highly experienced Dave Cox and Tony Pamphilon (both Life Members) took legs 2 and 3.
Evans performed excellently - in fact as well as Holland did in 2015 - and handed over in 14th place after running 18.39 for the course which is just under 5K. Dave Cox, always towards the top of the national rankings, sliced through the field and, importantly passed and put good distance between himself and Cambuslang's Frankie Barton - Barton has often in the past been the ace in Cambuslang's pack to hand over just behind 3rd place (time: 17.32, 9th fastest of the day). South London Harriers were away in front and remained strong throughout.
Pamphilon quickly moved into 3rd and also passed Sunderland before the halfway point, when, turning, he saw that Feechan of Scottish club Cambuslang and multiple world record holder Martin Rees of Welsh club Les Croupiers were closing him down quickly. However, Feechan's challenge failed to develop! Rees, however, caught our man at "the lake" and Pamphilon (17.34, 10th fastest of the day) was unable to resist the great man's finishing power and finished 10" down. Rees clocked 16.28 - 35" quicker than anyone else.