Medals for WGEL at Essex Road Relays

On Sunday 16^th April WGEL U13-U17s headed to the Northern Gateway Sports Park in Colchester for the Essex County AA Road Relays. This year Essex and Suffolk AA combined for the first time since the county relays started in 1970.

The combined event and excellent facilities attracted 190 teams (despite increased entry fees!) across the age groups. Teams consisted of three athletes (boys & girls separate) who each ran a leg of 2.6km. WGEL had 8 teams in the U13-U17 categories and were one of the best-represented clubs in the junior event.

Course

The race was on a one-mile loop on a smooth tarmac surface. It was essentially flat, and presented ideal racing conditions with the mild weather. All age groups set off together. The U13-U17 Girls started proceedings at 10am. Boys’ followed at 10:45am.

Full Results: http://results.eventchiptiming.com/Results.aspx?CId=16202&RId=10161&EId=2

Race Report – U17 Men

Leg One: Nathan Wright (08:08s) ran an excellent first leg for WGEL, handing over in 2^nd place behind international athlete Arthur Ballard (07:39) of Colchester & Tendring.

Leg Two: Nate Harding (08:49s) maintained second place, keeping the gap to City Of Southend to around 20s. Colchester & Tendring retained first spot.

Final Leg: Reuben Fabian (08:11s) ran a great anchor, keeping ahead of third-placed City of Southend. Reuben closed WGEL A team (25:10s) to take silver medals behind a phenomenal Colchester & Tendring (22:59s) team who took Gold with Sam Plummer (07:33s), another international athlete, running their anchor.

Race Report - U15 Girls

Leg One: WGEL’s Bethan Rose Davies, Annand Tratt and Tess Noblet opened the U15 WGEL teams. Bethan was looking forward to a switch from cross country and did not disappoint. Leading from the front, she clocked 08:53s to put WGEL A team in first place at the handover. Annand Tratt(09:50s), newly joined, is showing early promise and ran a very good leg for 5^th with Tess Noblet (10:05s) just behind in 7^th at the first change.

Leg two: Molly Sherrin (09:31s) showed great composure, holding the WGEL A team lead. St Edmunds Pacers (Suffolk) and City of Southend were in 2^nd and 3^rd. Summar Maw (10:12s) continued her good form, holding 5^th for WGEL B team. New joiner Anna Jaramillo Obcowska (12:34s) opened her WGEL account for the C team and was 10^th at the handover.

Final Leg: Natasha Wynn (09:02) bought WGEL A team home in style, increasing the gap ahead of second placed City of Southend to win Gold. WGEL A team time (27mins 27s) was fastest of all women teams on the day. Colchester Harriers had a flyer in Lyla Belshaw who ran the fastest leg of the day (8mins 11s). She moved Colchester Harriers into bronze.

Matilda Frith (10:36) closed WGEL B team in an excellent 5^th (30:40) and Eliza Bridges (10:33) closed the C team in 9^th ahead of Chelmsford and Southend B teams. This was a tremendous set of results.

Race Report - U15 Boys

First Leg: Joshua Ssempiira(09:00) and Joseph Arnold (09:44s) opened the U15 Boys teams. Both boys ran well. Joshua handed over in 7^th just 20 seconds behind City of Southend and Ilford AC. Joseph handed over in 9^th. Leaders were Havering with Findlay McLaren (08:11s) the fastest leg.

Second Leg: Oliver Brown (09:48s) took the baton for WGEL A team in 7^th and held on well with City of Southend B team closing behind. Yuvan Kumar (09:37) made a welcome return to competition with a good run and held 9^th closing the gap on 8^th placed Basildon AC.

Final Leg: Aidan O’Driscoll (09:12s) continued his good form with a solid anchor leg bringing WGEL A team (28:16s) home in 7^th just 60s outside the top 5. Charlie Howe (11:01) made a welcome return from injury to close WGEL B team (30:22) in 9^th. City of Southend (24:23) took Gold. Havering (25:28) were second and Basildon third (26:07). 

Race Report - U13 Girls

First Leg: Sophia Parker(10:36s) and Marissa Higgs-Smith (11:02s) ran the opening legs for WGEL U13 teams. Sophia recently won Gold in the Essex & Eastern Counties 800m indoor Champs and continued that good form to hand over in 4^th behind Havering and Chelmsford (A&B). Marissa ran a good leg handing over in 8^th ahead of Basildon and Colchester Harriers.

Second Leg: Faye Owers (10:47s) ran well holding onto 4^th for WGEL A team and was chasing down Chelmsford in 3^rd. Phoebe Edmondson (11:35) returned to competition with a good run handing over in 9^th place with Basildon moving up to 8^th.

Final Leg: Isla Fulling (10:40s) closed WGEL A team (32:04) in 4^th with a very good run. The A team missed Bronze by 60s behind Chelmsford B team (30:59s). Autumn Le-Chevalier Jones (10:17s) returned to competition and ran really well, gaining one place to close WGEL B team in 8^th ahead of Basildon. Chelmsford (27:51s) won Gold and Havering AC (30:16s) took Silver.

U13 Boys – Race Report

Leg one: Daniel Arnold (09:13) ran a great leg for WGEL A team, handing over in 3^rd behind Colchester & Tendring and Brentwood Beagles. Leo Maybe (09:29) opened his WGEL account with a great run in 5^th.

Leg two: Rahul Solanki (09:49) matched his peers to hold 3^rd for WGEL A team. There were changes just behind with Basildon moving into 4^th ahead of Brentwood. Jack Arnold (11:59) stepped into his first U13 race and ran well despite nerves. His run closed WGEL B team which was one athlete short.

Final Leg: Callum Clydesdale (09:29) ran a great final leg. He used leading Suffolk club (Ipswich Jaffa) anchor to maintain his push for Bronze. Callum ran with the Ipswich athlete and outsprinted him at the end to finish 20s clear and secure Bronze medals for WGEL A team (28:33). Chelmsford (28:03) finished 30s ahead to take silver. Jacob Parrott (08:38) made the difference with fastest leg of the day for the Chelmsford team.  Colchester & Tendring (27:58) won Gold.

Summary: This completed a fantastic day of racing. The standard of this race was, on reflection, arguably higher than that at the recent U15/U17 SEAA Southern 5km Championships at Stratford.

This is a good reflection of the standard of Essex road running. Given those standards, WGEL winning medals in U17, U15 and U13 competitions is very pleasing and shows good depth and breadth across the junior squad. They all now turn attention to their goals for the summer and YDL league competitions.