Hastings athlete strikes gold with GB team in Finland

Steve Baldock’s effort was one half of a Hastings AC double from both ends of the age categories in elite events.

Sprint coach Baldock spent a week at the World Masters in Tampere.

After making it through two heats he went on to the men’s over-50 400m final and came in fourth in 54.92.

Going into the championships he was ranked 16th on paper, and it was a season’s best time by one second. He said: “Not bad for an 800m runner!”

He followed that in the 4x400m relay when he ran the final leg to win GB gold in the over-50 age group, within Canada second and Finland third.

Meanwhile HAC’s Rae Le Fay spent three days competing in Manchester for Sussex at the English Schools Championships.

She ran in the intermediate girls’ 1500m, a tough bunched up heat that left her stuck in lanes two and three for much of the race, losing precious seconds.

She missed the final by only one place but still managed a PB (4:40) and beat her own recent club record.

The big achievement is qualifying for English Schools. It was a fantastic experience for her, especially the athletes’ parade at the end of the event walking proudly behind the Sussex flag.

In the Milton Keynes PB Special 3000m race Sean Parker-Harding was second in 10.09.32 and Luke Youngs fifth in 10.19.31.

HY RUNNERS

On an undulating course of mixed terrain, HY Runners’ Gary Foster was victorious at the Niceworks Hawkhurst 10k with an excellent time of 37:04 – while Ivy Buckland collected her first victory in the 5k version in 24:13.

Leo Cacciatore was next to finish for HY in the 10k with 40:46 to come 4th overall and 1st male vet 40.

Benji Symes was next for the ‘red arrows’ coming 6th overall in 41:54 and 1st MV45. Hot on his heels was Jamie Webb 42:29 (7th), followed by Danny Blackman 43:28 (9th) to make it five HY Runners in the top 10, whilst Emily Simms was 3rd lady with 46:51 placing 17th overall.

Other finishers for HY were John Badrock 45:41 (13th); Kev Davis 48:55 (24th) (1st MV55); Becky Mabon 51:35; Deb Read 52:27; Sonni Pine 55:24; Lisa Buchanan 1:02:12; Jenna Harmer 1:02:27.

In the 5k at Hawkhurst it was Buckland 24:13 (1st); Mathew Harmer 30:40; Liam Checksfield 31:31; Sarah Jane Pockock 31:50; Madeline Jenkinson 31:53; Sarah Rose Peters 32:22; Susan Mould 32:54; Layla Harmer 33:42; Sophie Simms 33:43; Isla Isted 35:52 and Jessica Harmer 35:54.

The OCR team went to the Dirty Rotten Scramble, which was a 10k obstacle run.

Sophie McGoldrick was first up for HY OCRs in 1:06, followed by Jason Wright in 1:09, then Danny Cornford 1:12 followed by dad Steve Cornford in 1:29.

Another Nice Work event was the Rye 10k, with HY Runners almost dominating proceedings, claiming six out of the top 10 finishing spots with William Carey (2nd) 35:14, Ben Mcallion (3rd) 35:26, Barry Buchanan (4th) 35:45, Oliver Carey (5th) 35:58, Terry Puxty (9th) 39:29, Jamie Webb (10th) 39:30.

Shannon HopkinsParry was first to finish for the ladies, in 40:18.

HY Runners held their prizegiving for 2021. The awards were presented by the club's sponsors - Kileys Carpets, Dynamic Scaffolding, PCM estate agents, Saunders Financial, Park Lane Group, Easylet & Sale and Element Group.

Winners: U9 Girls - Tera Buckland and Evelyn Cornford; U9 Boys - Ben Sims and Benji Pocock; U11 Girls - Alyssa Cornford and Florence Tewskbury; U11 Boys - Alfie Gannon; U13 Girls - Sophia Collins; U13 Boys - Zion Okojie; U16 Girls - Maddison Boorman; U16 Boys - Oliver Pope; U20 Male - David Ervine; Senior Female - Fiona Norman Brown; Senior Male - Ben McCallion; Vet Male - Carl Adams; Vet Female - Emma Welch; Ultra Male - Carl Adams; Ultra Female - Katie Turner; Obstacle Course Racing - Barry Buchanan & Sophie McGoldrick; Comeback of year - Amelia Skelton and Isabella Buchanan; Athlete of year – Ross Skelton; Chairman Award - Mandy Skelton; Personality of Year - David Clarke; Merit awards - Michelle Harrod, Hannah Louise, Amanda Porter; Special award – Alfie Gannon; Most improved - Abbie O'Toole; Achievers’ awards - Oliver Carey, William Carey, Sam Brown, Jamie Webb, David Clarke, Denise Clarke, John Waterhouse, Deborah Read, Leanne Badrock, Jenna French.

HASTINGS RUNNERS

There were great performances from Hastings Runners in the Tempo Last Leg Relays on Eastbourne seafront, fielding nine teams out of 72 taking part.

The senior men's team featuring star junior Finlay Goodman, Adam Weller, Colin White and Will Withecombe ran winners Eastbourne Rovers very close, ending 55 seconds behind in second after 14k of racing. The ladies’ team of Tamsin West, Nicki Steed, Claire Thomas and Zoe Fairclough missed runners-up spot by six seconds.

The men's vets’ A team of Michael Norris, Stephen Ingram, Kevin Blowers and Martin Noakes won, two minutes clear of main rivals Bexhill RT, with the B team of David Harding, Andy Knight, Martin Turner and Mark Storey a creditable third.

A battle royal unfolded for the HR mixed team trophy. Amy's Aces featuring Amy Ashby, Alison Anderson, Amanda Link and Martin Snape held a 34-second lead over Roland's Rockets (Roland Baines, Glenn Read, Romey & Nathan Jondorf) going into the final leg with Marie's Marauders (Rachael Inns, Peter Noakes, Graeme Grass and Nick Brown) a further nine seconds adrift. The Rockets and Marauders cut into the Aces' lead, but the line came just in time for the Aces.

Slightly further back were Dave's Dynamos (David Bratby, Paul Hope, Jamie Kennedy and Andrew Shipilov) and Sophie's Supremos (Sophie Ashby, Craig Weeks, Robert Weeks and Trevor Briggs).

Fastest men : Finlay Goodman 8.57; Will Withecombe 9.38; Colin White 9.39; Adam Weller 9.50 and Martin Snape 9.58. Fastest ladies: Nicki Steed 10.56; Claire Thomas 11.11; Zoe Fairclough 11.11; Tamsin West 12.04 and Amanda Link 12.30. Each team ran four individual out-and-back legs of 2.80k before all ran a fifth leg together. The event was superbly organised by Tempo Sports, Eastbourne, and raised money for St Wilfrid's Hospice. Results: Senior Men 2nd (48.10); Men's Vets A 11th (55.35); Senior Ladies 14th (57.38); Men's Vets B 18th (59.00); Amy's Aces 29th (63.04); Roland's Rockets 30th (63.04); Marie's Marauders 31st (63.10); Dave's Dynamos 36th (65.00), Sophie's Supremos 46th (71.10).