Chichester athletes clinch cross country medals – Bognor runners shine over 10k and longer

Chichester’s under-15 girls came away with the club’s best haul. After early season wins, Molly Smithers knew she had to finish no lower than third at Brighton to ensure beating Rihanon Daniels of Crawley.

A runners-up spot was enough to secure gold as she led Chichester to team bronze with another good run from Carrie Anelay in 13th and 27th from Grace Haworth.

The Chichester club was given a great start to the day with Emmy Pemberton in second place in the U11 race, secure bronze for the season.

In the same age group, Levi Pearce abd Alfie Luxford had good runs to end 9th and 15th respectively in the boys’ race.

Elodie Hill kept up her consistent season with ninth place in the under-13 girls’ race while Max Gayle finished 18th and Freddie Gay 27th in the boys’ U13 event.

Another who has shown great form is Ben Ward who was sixth in the U15 age group, while Digby Fulford finished 30th after a good run at the Chichester 10k a week earlier.

In Chichester’s senior women’s A team under-17 Anya Barrett led the way in 22nd place – sixth in her age group. Veteran Fay Cripps was 25th overall, fifth over-45 across the line. As UK No1 in her over-65 age group in a variety of distances, it was not surprise to see Helen Dean next home in 51st, maintaining her unbeaten record in her group to win gold.

Five places later was Nadia Anderson, third over-55 to finish, completing the A team scoring with 153 points.

The B team comprised Kim Nelson in 67th, Charlotte Bullard 70th, Amanda Godfrey 78th and Wendy Whelan, 95th and third in the over-65s and on her own as one of the country’s top over 75’s.

The club’s senior men had two teams, with another good run from Conrad Meagher in 17th followed by Callum Lorimer in 43rd (7th under-20) just ahead of Mikeey Kwoka in 45th.

Last scorer for the A team was Jim Garland in 64th, fifth in the over-50s, giving the team a commendable third place in Division 2.

The B team comprised Steve Davy in 76th, Wim Amir 114th, Tom Blaylock 117th and Peter Anderson 118th, capping a fine day for the club.

TONE ZONE RUNNERS

Eighteen runners from the club showed up in their blue and orange vests to the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit on a crisp sunny morning.

The racd has a new route and involved a lap of circuit before runners headed out and ran 4k on the roads surrounding the track, while the final 2k were back on the circuit and a finish outside the pit lane.

Jack Penfold was first home for the club and recorded a new personal best by 42 seconds in 34:29. A few minutes later Christo Oosthuizen flew across the line in 36:50 finishing third in his age category.

Running plumber Byron Kearns completed the top three for the club in 38:07, just a second quicker than his time in 2022.

Guy Robson was paced by Jason Abell and finished strongly in 42 minutes. Drew Kelly was running his first race for the club and smashed his PB to finish in 42:37 just nine seconds ahead of Nathan Bilham, who also ran a huge PB shaving almost two minutes off his previous best to record 42:46.

Mark Green battled his way to 43:15 despite being a bit under the weather and was followed by John Williams in 45:21 – another PB on his debut for Tone Zone.

Marcus Reid was hoping to go sub 50 and recorded 48:56 as he pulled away from the 50-minute pacer in the last 2k.

Lisa Broad set a new PB with a speedy sprint finish to clock 54:55. Also breaking the hour mark were Emma Strange (58:06) and Mick James (59:45). John Abell (1:05:39) and Carrie Oakley (1:06:59) finished just ahead of Jessica Dyer in 1:08. Nicky Ramsey dipped under 1:15 by 11 seconds and Nic Baglee finished in 1:41:59.

At the Portsmouth Coastal Half Marathon, Sarah Zacal set the pace for the club and finished in 1.43.58. Stuart Thomson finished 4th in his age category in 1:57:50 and Paul Stevenson and James Savage both finished in 2:23.

In Arundel Sarah Curl, Deb Jane, Dan Hugues and Catherine Helmsley took on a four-mile course. Dan Hughes completed the course in 41.00, ahead of Sarah Curl in 43.00. Deb Jane was third from the club and Catherine Helmsley, the day after her 100th parkrun, finished in 1.15.

The popular Chichester 10k always attracts a whole host of Bognor Tone Zone Runners – and 2023 was no different.