Shrewsbury Athletic Club ended a difficult season in the North Wales
Cross Country League with a 2nd placing in the team event at Oswestry.
Despite a revival in the team's fortunes in the latter part of the
season, there was a further blow at Oswestry, when Kevin Francis had to
pull out during the race with an achilles injury. In Kevin's absence,
Dom Kirby rose to the occasion to lead the squad home with his best
performance of the season in 18th place, an improvement of almost 30
places on his previous best. He was followed by Duncan Beales, 24th in
36/55, Graham Jones 40th in 38/00, Steve Turk 42nd in 38/07, Tim Smith
47th in 38/28 and Steve Waters 65th to complete the team placings in
39/49 and secure 2nd team placing on the day, the team's best placing
this season. The Masters' team was 4th on the day. Steve Oliver was
97th in 43/17 and Derek Owen 125th in 49/12. In the team results for
the season, the Mens' team were 4th and the Masters' team, 2nd.
Individual honours went to Kevin Francis, 2nd equal in the Male Veteran
category and Sheila Richards, 3rd in the Female Veteran over 55
category.
Despite his own injury setbacks during the season, club captain Graham
Jones' tenacity was rewarded with honours in the Veteran Over 55
category in both the League and Cross Country Championships. He
achieved 1st place in the Over 55 category for the North Wales Cross
Country League season and competed in the North Wales Cross Country
Championships at Rhug Estate, Corwen finishing 15th in 42/36, 1st in
the Over 55 category and beating the winners of the over 50 and over 45
categories.
At the North Wales Cross Country League end of season presentations,
Shrewsbury's George Tudor was presented with the Welsh Athletics Board
Meritorious Service Award for services to athletics. A popular and
highly respected figure, he has, for over 35 years been a league
referee at local, Welsh and national athletics fixtures, ably assisted
by his wife, June and the award follows the announcement of his
retirement at the end of the season.
A squad of Club juniors competed at the Shropshire Schools County
Championships at Oswestry, all representing their schools with
selection for the English Schools Championships the prize on offer for
each of the first 6 athletes home in each race.The winters most
consistent peformers, Ben Ashcroft and Katharine Smith both secured
selection with Ben 2nd in Intermediate Boys, and Katharine an
excellent 4th in the Junior girls. Four Club athletes ran the Junior
boys distance, with Ross Kirby agonisingly short of automatic selection
in 7th, with improving Stuart Duff a superb 12th. Both will have an
anxious wait to see if they have earned the coaches wildcard selections
after strong runs despite being in the lower end of the age group.
Similarly, Sasha Gardiner, 11th in the Intermediate girls, is on the
verges of selection following another strong run.
