Newport Harriers 5K Championships
Newport Harriers 5k Club Championships
Saturday, 16th April, Blackweir, Cardiff (incorporated in Cardiff Park Run)
The inaugural Newport Harriers 5k Club Championships took place on the cusp of the summer track season on a bright spring morning over the flat Cardiff Park Run course.
Carpanini maintains fine form to capture club 5k title
Some of our big guns were absent but this was unlikely to affect the result as Chris Carpanini produced the fastest ever Park Run by a Newport Harrier and take the club title. (Unfortunately his time was not recorded on the website as Chris didn’t have a Park Run barcode). Chris has shown excellent form for the Harriers over the past eight months – top of the 2010 club 3000m rankings, one of our ‘fast four’ in the 2010 English National Road Relays, in the ‘A’ team in the 2011 Welsh Road Relays, gaining Newport Senior Men’s highest cross-country position in the 2010/11 Gwent League, 4th place in the Lliswerry 8 Mile race, and winning the Senior Boys Welsh Schools’ Cross-Country Championship.
2nd in our club championship and 3rd in the Park Run was Dan Chesworth, another athlete in form having picked up an Under-20 Indoor title over 1500m and producing a stunning anchor leg in the U17 Welsh Road Relays. Always up for any race over any distance, Tyrone Fowler was third Newport athlete to finish, comfortably ahead of 4th placed Darryn McAtee (29th in the Park Run). Nick Jackson was 5th in our Club Championship (231st in the Park Run), this being his fourth Park Run but the first over the fast Cardiff circuit as he sliced over 2½ minutes off his previous best gained at Tredegar House. Nick should now expect a visit from our Masters Team Manager who will invite him to accept terms.
Saxena wins the battle of youth versus experience
The women’s club championship was a straight head-to-head between grand master Ann Saxena and new-kid-on-the-block Bethan Jackson. For road running Bethan is still in the U15 age group but was unafraid to take on the 3-mile distance having warmed up the previous weekend in the Newport Park Run. However, years of pounding the roads paid dividends for Ann as she eased away from Bethan. In the overall race Ann and Bethan finished 79th and 130th respectively.
Official Club Championships Positions
The male and female winner will each have their name engraved on the Gary Baker Shield which will be displayed in the club trophy cabinet.
Men
1 Chris Carpanini
2 Dan Chesworth
3 Tyrone Fowler
4 Darryn McAtee
5 Nick Jackson
Women
1 Ann Saxena
2 Bethan Jackson