Podium triple glory for Mansfield Harriers at British Masters Championships

The competition is for men and women over 35 and the competition works on five year age groups and Mansfield trio Paul Wright, Martin White and Stef Wilcockson were all using the event as final preparation before travelling to compete in the European Championships next month at Torun in Poland.

After a recent British Championship win over 3000m Paul was looking to take the Masters 35 indoor title over his preferred distance of 800m, having already won the outdoor title last summer.

A dominant display of front running had Paul record a swift 1.56.47, which saw him take the gold medal by a margin of two seconds.

Stef competed in the 60m Hurdles and ran within 0.1 of his best to take a bronze in the Masters 35 age group with 8.89 seconds while club sprints coach Martin White produced an impressive 200m in the Men 50 category recording a season's best of 25.93 as he also made the podium, taking the bronze medal.

All three come away from the championship in great shape for next month's European Championship.

After a superb run to take the bronze in the National U20 Championships Rhys Elias earned himself a last minute call up to compete in the UK Athletics Senior Championship.

With the event also being used as a trial for the European Championships Rhys was against the best sprinters in the UK.

A phenomenal heat saw Rhys qualify for the semi-final in 6.89 seconds where he recorded 6.88 as he narrowly missed the final.

The penultimate fixture in the Derby Runner BDL Cross Country League was held on the challenging Holmebrook Valley Country Park.

Always a tough course, this year proved no exception with the recent heavy rain.

First back for the club were two fast improving Juniors with Reece Carver in 10th and Charlie Taylor 21st.

Wayne Lowe followed in 43rd with Geoff Bottomore 57th, Jason Taylor 78th and Shaun Arrowsmith 93rd.

Holly Colton was first Mansfield lady home in 23rd, Natasha Carver was 40th and Tina Copcutt 52nd.

With one fixture to go the men are in fifth place and women in 12th.

Reece is leading the junior men category with Charlie likely to finish second with one more good run.

Wayne is currently third in the 45 age group with Geoff in contention for a podium placing in the 65 category. Natash is currently third in the Female 45 category.

The final Sportshall competition of the winter at the Kirkby Leisure Centre saw a small Mansfield team put in a battling performance, placing both fifth on the day and fifth for the season.

The U13 girls continued to dominate winning the age group for the season with the U11 and U15 girls placed second.

Unfortunately, a lack of boys throughout the season has seen the team fall back.

At the meeting both Sophie Peet and Amelia Arbon picked up Athlete of the Match awards from the previous fixture.

Sophie continued her terrific Sportshall season as she broke the league record for the U13 Ball Shot Push with a distance of 10.50m also winning the Two Lap and Standing Long Jump events with Charlotte Marshall taking the Six Lap, Speed Bounce and guesting in the Two Lap race.

Guest performances were also put in by Edee Gascoyne (Two Lap, Standing Long Jump), Maisie Gill (Two Lap, Six Lap, Speed Bounce), Poppy Parkins (Two Lap, Speed Bounce, Standing Long Jump) and Annabel Burnham (Two Lap, Speed Bounce and Ball Shot Push).

The relay team of Edee, Maisey, Sophie and Charlotte also took a comfortable win with a guest team of Poppy and Annabel plus U11s Esme and Katelyn placing third.

Katelyn Marshall was impressive in the U11 age group, winning the High Stepper, also placing second in both One Lap and Two Lap races.

Esme Evans came fourth in the Balance plus guested in the Two Lap with Olivia Emmerson fourth in the Chest Push and also a guest appearance in the Two Lap.

The three U11s plus Annabel from the U13 put a guest team in the relay that came in second.

In the U15 age group Freya Martin was fourth in both Two and Four Lap races and guested in the Standing Long Jump and Speed Bounce.

Amelia Arbon placed third in the Speed Bounce, fourth in the Standing Long Jump and fifth in the Vertical High Jump.

The only boy competing was U13 Chris Nixon who was fourth in the Six Lap and sixth in both the Two Lap and Speed Bounce. Tabitha Arbon competed in the Guest U9 One Lap race.