Hastings in the medals at county championships

Hastings Athletic Club achieved a fantastic set of results at the Sussex Road Relay Championships on Saturday.
The Hastings Athletic Club under-15 boys' team which won gold at the Sussex Road Relays. Picture courtesy Terry SkeltonThe Hastings Athletic Club under-15 boys' team which won gold at the Sussex Road Relays. Picture courtesy Terry Skelton
The Hastings Athletic Club under-15 boys' team which won gold at the Sussex Road Relays. Picture courtesy Terry Skelton

The Ark William Parker Academy-based club won five medals across the various age groups, including a gold, at Christ’s Hospital School, Horsham.

The team of Isaac Elam, James Crombie and Lewis Courtnage was victorious in the under-15 boys’ race. Elam ran a very quick first leg to leave the team third, Crombie then took the lead on the second leg and Courtnage held onto first place on the final leg.

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The senior ladies’ team of Caitlin Millar, Lizzie Clarke and Stacey Clusker also achieved an outstanding result by coming third - the club’s best position in that category for many years.

The under-15 girls' team which won bronze. Picture courtesy Terry SkeltonThe under-15 girls' team which won bronze. Picture courtesy Terry Skelton
The under-15 girls' team which won bronze. Picture courtesy Terry Skelton

Clarke clocked the second fastest time by an under-17 girl and Harmony Cooper, running for the B team, was third quickest.

Another splendid result was the silver medal won by the veteran ladies’ 40 team of Sam Murphy, Kim Brown and 53-year-old Riz Maslen.

The under-13 boys’ team of Jonas Judah, Adam Morrissy and Callum Puxty won bronze. Judah ran the fastest leg of the day in that age group and Puxty did the team proud on his return after six months out injured.

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Also winning bronze was the under-15 girls’ team of Maya Ramnarine, Erika Body and Evie Clements. Ramnarine set the second fast individual time to boot.

A special mention is due for Shannon Hopkins-Parry, who had a shoe come off at the start but battled on gamely to complete the race with one shoe.

Hastings AC fielded 14 teams in all.

Gary Foster and Jeff Pyrah ran well in the senior men’s race, with Foster coming in fourth after the opening leg. Nancy Barlow was the sole representative in the under-13 girls’ race.

Hastings AC athletes also produced fine performances at the Paddock Wood Half Marathon on Sunday.

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John Ralph clocked a brilliant personal best of 1:24.52 - four minutes quicker than he ran at last month’s Hastings Half Marathon - to come 123rd out of 2,064 finishers.

Rachael Grass, who was third lady at the Hastings Half, was just behind him in a PB of 1:25.07, placing her eighth lady overall.

Paige Wise crossed the line in 1:48.26 and Fiona Norman-Brown clocked 2:17.01.

James Mountford - one of the club’s leading distance runners - completed the Manchester Marathon in a decent time of two hours and 37 minutes.

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The likes of Foster, Clusker, Grass and Millar are set to take part in a high class Brighton 10K this coming Sunday, along with St Leonards-based Brighton Phoenix runner Ross Skelton. Hastings AC will also be represented in the Brighton Marathon.

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