Newark AC’s Olivia Matthias won ladies’ senior gold and men won team gold at the Midlands Cross Country Championships
Newark AC won two senior gold medals at the Midlands Cross Country Championships on Saturday – their best result in 70 years!
A new venue of Mallory Park hosted the championships on an undulating course consisting of a lot of short steep inclines.
Clubs all across the Midlands including big clubs such as Bristol and Notts AC come to compete individually and for their club.
Newark’s Olivia Matthias, an Elite GB triathlete, won the ladies’ senior race after beating local rival Gemma Steel, from Charnwood, by 40 seconds across the 8k course.
Unfortunately, Newark were unable to field a senior ladies’ team due to holidays and injuries but Kim Etheringron-Bates also ran, coming home in 71st place.
Newark had a strong entry of 18 runners in the men’s race, which was approximately a 12k course.
They produced a momentous victory in the senior men’s team category and also claimed silver in the masters section.
This demonstrates the progression Newark is making, having improved the team position by eight places over the last two years.
Elliott Smith-Rasmussen came fourth overall, Ed Buck was seventh, George Hatton ninth, club captain Conor Pacey 15th, Marcus Chesterton 21st and Will Tucker 23rd to make up the gold-winning team.
Tom Marshall led the charge in the vets team, coming home in 36th place, with Leigh Marshall 46th, Rob Lindsay 47th, Tim Bagguley 80th, Oliver Crampton 82nd and Dave Robinson 83rd making up the Vets Silver team.
Other performances saw Dan Dunninton finish 56th, Chris Harrison 88th and team manager Ady Dix was 115th.
The Midland Counties Cross Country Championships also hosted the Midland Masters AC Cross Country Championships.
Rob Lindsey won gold in the V40 category and Leigh Marshall took home the silver medal in the V45 category. The Midlands Masters AC also awarded the Adrian Lloyd Spot Prize to Marshall for endeavour in cross country.
The national Cross Country Championships take place next month.
The Newark Endurance Group welcomes new members, aged 18 and above.
On Sunday, four club members turned out for the first of the East Midlands League Cross Country events to race at a tough course in Bramcote Park.
In the ladies’ race, Alison Monaghan was third and second Vet and Kate Ludlam was 47th. Marshall was second, and first Vet, with Chris Harrison 12th in the men's race.