Morpeth Harriers win relay medals

Oliver Calvert winning the Under 15 Boys team race.

The first set of team medals were won by the club’s delighted U15 Girls, with the team comprising Megan Potrac (10 :11), Molly Roche (10:43) and Charlotte Marshall (10:46) for a combined time of 31:40. Darlington Harriers were the winners in 28:02 with North Shields Polytechnic 2nd (30:01).

The first gold came in the following Boys U15 race, where, after first and second legs by Steven Craske (9:24) and Oliver Tomlinson (7:52), Oliver Calvert got the team into first place on the last leg with the day’s fastest time of 7:36 for a total time of 24:52. Harry Armstrong also ran the first leg for an incomplete B team in 9:32.

Perhaps unsurprisingly after recent national performances, the U17 A and B teams dominated their race. The A team of Joe Close (7:58), Eliot Kelso (7:36) and Bertie Marr (7:45) were first back in 23:19, less than 45 seconds ahead of the B team of Liam Roche, making a return to competitive action in 7:53, Elliot Mavir (8:21) and Ryan Davies (7:38).

Earlier in the day, there had also been three U13s out in the Boys and Girls races, but in sadly incomplete teams.

Grace Cunningham (10:55) and Emma Tomlinson (9:43) ran strongly in the Girls race, with Tomlinson recording the fastest leg. A third runner would undoubtedly have helped the team to a medal.

Meanwhile Thomas Roche was the sole representative in the Boys race in 10:16.

The club’s final gold of the day was won in emphatic style by the U20 Men, with Ralph Robson (10:38), Matthew Walton (10:17, the day’s fastest time) and Peter Smallcombe (10:23) finishing nearly three minutes ahead of nearest rivals Durham City AC.

The final medal of the day for Morpeth was another bronze, won in the combined Women’s Senior and Masters race, with Jane Kirby (14:32), Julie Vermaas (14:25) and Gemma Floyd (13:09) finishing in a total of 42:06, NSP’s Masters winning in 40:24 ahead of Elswick Harriers in second (41:54). Floyd’s was the second fastest Masters time of the day, with the Seniors race won by Houghton Harriers in 38:03, just ahead of Gateshead (38:11).