Young athletes to get free coaching from HY Runners

Junior members are very important to HY Runners and they are to be offered free coaching in a new scheme

HY Runners are to boost young athletes’ development with a ‘kids train for free’ scheme.

Members under the age of 18 can run completely free of charge.

Head coach Terry Skelton and club president Dain Jenson have worked hard behind the scenes to gather seven sponsors for the club who will contribute ongoing financial support towards this project.

They are PCM estate agents, Kileys Karpets, Park Lane Group, Dynamic Scaffolding, Easylet estate agents, Saunders Financial and Acron Electronics.

In addition Paul Wilson of JT Embroidery has given the club a very fair deal on training clothing.

It means members who are under 18 can train as much as they like for free and receive a free HY Runners T-shirt

It is something Skelton has dreamed of for a long time and he said: “It is something close to our hearts and something we feel very strongly about.

“We want to encourage as many kids as possible to get involved in active athletics and we want these kids to be able to achieve to their maximum ability without having an added financial pressure to them or their parents.

“We don’t charge a lot anyway so we give good value for money but some of these kids may come from disadvantaged backgrounds and we want to assist them in getting off of the streets and into something they can be proud of.

“We are a running club with a family feel but we achieve at the same time so the kids are in good hands

“Youngsters enjoy their running with us as we make the sessions challenging but great fun.

“We have a great network of coaches and volunteers and the financial package the sponsors have put together is massive for us to provide the kids with what they need.

“We are very, very grateful to the sponsors.”

The scheme was unveiled in conjunction with the juniors’ club championships at the William Parker track.

The under-nines competed in an 800m race and the over-nines did a mile.

Adam Morrisey won the mile in 5min 29sec; Meghan Hopkins Parry was first girl in a time of 6.08.

Winner of the 800m was Tera Buckland in 3.17. Frazer McGoldrick led the way for the boys in 3.27

All received medals and T-shirts from Paralympian and eight-time London Marathon gold medalist David Weir.

Club chairman Bill Darby said: “What a great event this was for our club and it was so good to have a world legend such as David presenting the medals.

“From an initial number of nearly 90 members at the club inauguration in January 2020 the club now proudly boast almost 450 active members.”

HY RACE ACTION

HY Runners had four athletes running in the Folkestone 10k.

The race, put on by organisers Nice Work, is well renowned for being a quick run and didn’t disappoint as more PBs were achieved for the red arrows from HY Runners.

Ben McCallion finished in an incredible 33.54 taking 2.50 off his previous best.

Andy Edmonds produced a dazzling performance to finish in a best time of 37.21, which is a club record for a male vet 45s.

Alfie Johnstone posted 40.50 taking seven minutes off his previous best and, at just 17, he is starting to produce some good times.

Joe Moore finished in 42.47, a PB of nearly 12 minutes.

The off-road Bedgebury 10k ended with HY Runner Barry Buchanan coming third in 38.13.

Stewart Ide completed his race in 52.43 and Lisa Buchanan finished 1.00.30 and Stephen Cornforth in 1.06.24.

In the 5k Chris Castleman finished as second male vet U55 in 29.54.

More HY Runners took on the Tenterden 10k, with a 5k option provided.

Jonathan Hatch finished second in 40.18, Joe Moore eighth in 43.47. Ivy Buckland was second lady in 50.48. Susan Mould produced a credible time of 57.22

In the 5k Adam Williams was second with 21.50 while clubman and friend Rob Sharpe finished in 22.05.

Paul Mathews represented HY in the Eastbourne triathlon, finishing in a time of 1.15.12, seventh in his age group.