Clayton Harrier sticks with local runs for national glory

Will Peacock pip Dodds to top spot?

Which Clayton Harrier is pick of England's over 50s?

THE best woman fell runner over 50 in the country is undoubtedly a Clayton Harrier, but is it Wendy Dodds or Vanessa Peacock?

While defending English Champion Dodds chases another title, Peacock's philosophy is to run locally.

Her husband, Tony, explained: "We do like the Lake District, but why drive hundreds of miles to compete when there are so many good races within about 10 miles?"

Tony added that Peacock had "a natural talent" and her good form was underlined in her only Championship appearance of the season when she won her age group at Pen-y-Ghent, beating Dodds.

With four first places within 13 days during May, she is the Harriers current Runner of the Month.

Typical of the races favoured by Peacock is Aggies Staircase, a low-key but well organised event promoted by Darwen Dashers.

The four-mile course circles Darwen Hill and incorporates three sharp climbs totalling 900 feet.

Peacock successfully defended her women's title with over two minutes to spare, completing the distance in 34:17, while the nearest of her three rivals in the F50 class took exactly half as long again with 51:28.

Peacock's Clayton club-mate Katy Thompson in fifth won the F40 division.

Former Darwen Dasher Brian Cole boosted his confidence ahead of his England debut on Sunday. Having tapered his training down from over 100 miles a week to a mere 70 in preparation for the 100K Home International in Edinburgh, he was full of beans and won for the third time in his career.

At the Tower after the first climb, there were six still in it, including Blackburn Harrier Liam Barton fresh from his bronze medal in the steeplechase at the Northern Championships, but he lost touch on the descent.

After the climb up the Lyons Den it was down to two, but Pudsey's Danny Hope faded in the closing stages as Cole won by 37 seconds in 28:16. Robin Lawrence of Bingley and former Dasher Richard Thomas both passed Hope near the end while Todmorden Harrier Jon Wright was fifth and Barton sixth.

Thornton Taylor of Rossendale in seventh was 10 seconds ahead of local Russell Owen in the battle for veteran honours, while there was a family double as Thornton's brother, Ken Taylor, won the over 50s.

Don Ashton of the host club was first over 60.

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>Graeme Ballard

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Graeme celebrates medal haul

A CHORLEY athlete whose parents once feared would never walk or talk has reaped a haul of three medals at the European Paralympic Athletics Championships in Assen, Holland.

Sprinter Graeme Ballard, of Chorley Athletics Club, who was competing in the T36 class for athletes with cerebal palsy, took silver in both the 100m and the 100m relay for the Norwich Union Great Britain team, as well as bronze in the 200m.

It was a belated birthday present for Ballard, who celebrated his 24th birthday on June 16.

He recorded a time of 12.83 seconds to take second place in the 100m behind Andrey Zhyltsov of the Ukraine.

"I really enjoyed myself out there," Ballard said.

"It was a great run, and a good birthday present. There was a new European record set so it was obviously pretty quick."

The relay was the final event in the Championship and it gave the team a tremendous return of 43 medals.

Burnley's Mark Brown had earlier set the tone by striking gold on the first day in the 5,000m for arm amputees.

Graeme's parents were told after his premature birth that there was little chance of him ever being able to walk or talk. But coached by Francis Crook, he has succeeded in forging a remarkably successful running career.

Over the past three years he has excelled in Paralympic sprinting and won two gold medals at the British Open championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002, as well as a host of other accolades at many different sporting events.

Inspired by his hero Steve Cram, he is now preparing for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

AAA's Under 20s/Under 23s - Catherine Riley

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Riley sets a new record

CATHERINE Riley has won the 800 metres title at the Norwich Union AAAs Under 23 Championships.

The 21-year-old from Fence broke the championship record by a clear second to clock 2:06.09 at Bedford on Saturday.

Her next goal is to earn selection for the European Under 23 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, on July 17-20, but she admits her selection is "hanging in the balance".

Riley is currently scouring the country looking for a race which will give her a chance of running a sub 2:05 time before next Monday's cut off date. The British Milers Club meeting at Watford looks the most likely bet, after winning the Northern Championship on her home track at Trafford.

When running from the front, Riley set a personal best time of 2:05.40, which is within the B standard for Poland and might just earn her a spot in the team.

However Rebecca Lynne, having run the qualifying time, is pre-selected and the selectors might insist on Riley running the A time too. Wakefield's Charlene Snelgrove is still in the frame too having run a best of 2:05.1, although Riley defeated her in the AAAs.

Blackburn Harriers' distance specialist Sarah Willimott left Bedford with a bronze medal in the 3,000 metres under 23 race.

The Loughborough student crossed the line in 10:11.65 behind Coventry Godiva Susannah Evans.

It was Willimott's second success at the venue this season as she set a personal best 17:53 in reaching the final of the British Universities 5,000m two months ago.

Meanwhile, Blackburn Harrier team mate Liam Barton landed the bronze medal in the 3,000m steeplechase at the Northern Championships at Trafford clocking 10:07.09.

Rossendale Harriers' Spanish International javelin thrower Jose-Vicente Nieto-Rodriguez has won a call-up to the North of England versus South of England match at Birmingham after winning the silver medal at the Northern Championships.

Nieto's longest throw of 64.53 metres was only 22 centimetres behind winner Ian Burns of Gateshead and he is relishing the chance to compete against this country's best.

>At Bedford, Snelgrove led for the first lap with Catherine tracking her until the last 300 metres.

As she picked up the pace her rival dropped back and a sprint over the last 150 metres brought her home over a second ahead.

It is not the first time that Catherine has lifted a AAAs title. Back in 1999 she won the Under 20 800m AAAs indoor title as a promising 16-year-old while competing for the Colne outfit Park High School Athletic Club.

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>Round Up

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Weaving the way

PENDLE'S Amy Weaver has qualified for the Lancashire team to contest the English School's Combined Events Championship in September.

Competing in the NW Regional Schools pentathlon in Telford, Weaver finished fifth in the junior age group to head the Lancashire effort. With Eleanor Markendale of Pendle sixth, Abigail Ewart of Burnley 12th and Hyndburn's Thea Smith 19th, the county team was second behind Cheshire.

The Hyndburn pair Claire Mitchell and Emily Walters represented Lancashire in the intermediate age group.

Duo's best form

JOSHUA O'Keefe and Kelly Clegg struck their best form as Blackburn Harriers finished second to hosts Trafford in the latest round of the Young Athletes League.

Under 15 Joshua won the A high jump and B shot in a week that also saw him win the Blackburn Schools 800m. In her strongest event, namely the 800m, under 17 Kelly won the A race by a handsome margin and also won the B string 200m.

Katie Morris and Amanda Shepherd scored heavily in the under 17s 3,000 metres.

which was run in the heat of the day.

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GLOBETROTTING Tony Hurn of Darwen Dashers ran the Stockholm Marathon in 3:14:34, to place 697th of 14,000 runners.

Hurn is no stranger to running abroad, in 1999 he was one of only five Britons to compete in the Beijing Marathon, which started in the infamous Tiananmen Square, and earlier this season he ran a half marathon in Korea.

All around world

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Three out of three

THE Hyndburn and Burnley clubs finished first and second in their latest Young Athletes League match, held at Burnley.

Hyndburn have won all three fixtures while it was the second time Burnley have finished second.

Leigh Lennon was Hyndburn's star as she set a Grade 1 standard in the under 13s 1200m, while the under 17 women weighed in with every athlete gaining at least two first places.

Every member of the Burnley team scored at least one victory.

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Linda dashes home

NEIL Tattersall of Pendle continued his domination of the Adidas/On the Run Park Series of 5K races when he won the third race in 16:27. Women's winner at Chorley's Astley Park was Darwen Dasher Linda Clarkson in 21:25.

On the fells, Slaidburn's Tricia Sloan won the Settle Hills Race with Wendy Dodds of Clayton first F50 and Darwen Dasher Don Ashton taking M60 honours.

In the Post-Midsummer Madness three-day event, Rossendale Harrier Phil Taylor was first veteran. Clayton's Dave Walker won the second race of the series.

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>Whats On

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The 10th Annual On the Run/Adidas Park Series concludes tomorrow night with the last of four races at Astley Park in Chorley. The junior race starts at 6.30pm while the senior race of approximately 5K is at 7pm. All races are in the safe confines of the park over tarmac and stone tracks. You can enter on the night.

Darwen Dashers second promotion within 10 days is Saturday's Tockholes Gala Fell Race. Start of the 5.5 miler, which includes 1000 feet of climbing, is at 2.30pm from Rock Lane.

The Heapey and Wheelton Village Hall Committee is organising the 19th VIGA/Sweatshop Thirsty Three Multi Terrain Race on Sunday from Black Lion Farm, Heapey starting at 3.15pm.There is also a one-mile Gallop for under 13's starting five minutes later at 3.20pm.

The Skipton 10K Road Race is on Sunday at noon while a 2.5K Fun Run starts at 11am. The course is relatively fast and flat starting from Skipton Rugby Club, Sandylands, Carleton New Road, Skipton. All 10K finishers will win a T-shirt if they have pre-entered.

The Personal Best Moonraker 10K, organised by Middleton Harriers is on Sunday at 10.30am. Venue is Bowlee Community Park, Heywood Old Road, Middleton.

North Fylde AC is presenting a 5 Road Race from the Charles Saer School, Grange Road in Fleetwood on Sunday morning. It starts at 11am with a Fun Run at 10.15am preceding the main event.

Sunday afternoon's Skiddaw Fell Race is an English and British Fell Championship counter. It is also a trial race for the Snowden International. Starting at 12.30pm on Sunday from Fitz Park, Keswick registration is at the cricket pavilion. Race distance is nine miles with 2,700 feet of ascent.

The Stoodley Pike Fell Race takes place on Tuesday at 7.30pm. Venue is the Top Brink Inn, Lumbutts, Todmorden. Please bring safety pins.

The third of the monthly Haigh Hall 5 Mile Road Race Series is on Wednesday. Register at Wigan Rugby Union Club, Wingates Road, off Wigan Lane near to the Cherry Gardens Pub and Wigan Hospital. Course is 90 per cent traffic free, but arrive in good time for a 7.30pm start as there is a walk to the start.

This year's Bull Hill Fell Race is on Thursday July 10. The race distance of 5.5 miles includes 830 feet of ascent. Start is at 7.15pm from Boardman's Farm, Hawkshaw Lane, Hawkshaw, Bury with registration at the Wagon and Horses pub on Bolton Road West.

What's on in athletics