WARRINGTON Athletics Club were among the most successful in the Cheshire Cross Country Championships at Pickmere on Saturday.
In some of the most testing conditions seen for the annual event, the club's runners battled through the exceptionally muddy terrain, pools of water and torrential rain to bring home 11 individual medals and seven team titles.
Four Warrington AC athletes won gold in their age groups – Euan Lawton, Amelie Johnson, Imogen Wharton and Dave Watson – and it was in the opening under 11s races that the club were particular dominant.
Not only did Lawton win the boys' race by seven seconds, it was teammate Oliver Davenport collecting silver behind him and Eddie Walker crossing the line fourth that helped seal the team gold prize.
Johnson won the under 11s girls' gold thanks to winning a sprint finish that she initially thought was for second place, while teammates Evie May Williams in third place and Eva Hayes in sixth ensured the team title was in the bag.
The B team of Grace Rashud, 12th, Annie Noone, 14th, and India Hayes, 15th, finished fourth. April Rimmer completed the squad in 21st place.
> VIEW: 18 pictures that show how bad the conditions were
It was three in a row in the under 13s boys' race with Seb Hampson crossing the line 11th, Archie Marwood 12th and Ben Woods, 13th, as the team grabbed third. The squad was completed by Dylan Langley finishing 26th and Thomas Darbyshire 28th.
In the girls' under 13s race Ellie Barker crossed the line in fourth place, passing teammate Emily Kinsey on the run-in to the finish. Kinsey, who finished fifth, and Cara Gregory, 10th, sealed third place for the team just two points behind the winners.
The B team of Sophie Parkinson, 12th, Sarah Ashcroft, 16th, and Emma Whiston, 19th, pocketed fifth place. The squad was completed by Orlaith Clarke, 20th, and Sinead Gregory, 23rd.
Jack Marwood hung on to third place in a sprint finish in the under 15s boys' race. With Jacob Pryor running strongly for fifth and Rory Gregory producing a gutsy 12th the team bagged silver.
The B team of Matthew Seddon, 15th, Tom Welsby, 16th, and Tom Dawson, 21st, clinched fifth spot.
Only two runners from the club featured in the under 15s girls' race, with both running excellently.
Imogen Wharton was an outstanding winner, finishing 32 seconds of her nearest rival, while Alice Nicholson was fourth despite losing a shoe around the course.
In the under 17s age group the club had only girls taking part, with Orla Gregory storming home in second. And with Lucie Davies, sixth, and Joy Ashcroft-Carter, 10th, the team finished second. Molly Wormald completed the squad in 12th place.
Ellen Turnbull came home as the third under 20s runner in the race combined with senior women. Siobhan Gregory was fourth.
In the senior race Rachel McQuillan ran excellently for 16th and with Faye Lawton (Euan’s mum) 36th and Anne Gregory, 69th, the team finished in 13th position. Anne was the sixth placed over 50 and Sharon Taylor completed the squad in 90th to register as the eighth over 50.
The sun actually came out in time for the combined under 20s men and senior men's race but as the last event of the day the course had already taken a hammering.
The under 20s had a rough time, with Joe Roberts the only Warrington AC finisher and he had lost a shoe and sock on his travels.
Cameron Field, with a strong final lap, came through to finish sixth in the senior men's race and was followed home by Joe Buckley, seventh, Chris Stanford, eighth (second over 40), Jack Wadsworth, 16th, Dan Fox, 18th, and Dave Watson, 32nd (first over 50), as the team finished in second place only one point behind Vale Royal.
The squad was completed by Steve Burthem, 80th, (second over 60) and Mark Gregory, 110th (18th over 50).
The Gregory family is thought to have been the most represented family in the championships, with someone in every race apart from the under 11s – Cara and Sinead in under 13s, Rory under 15s, Orla under 17s, Siobhan under 20s, mum and dad Anne and Mark in the seniors.
The medal winners:
Euan Lawton, under 11s gold
Oliver Davenport, under 11s silver
Under 11s boys' team, gold
Amelie Johnson, under 11s gold
Evie May Williams, under 11s bronze
Under 11s girls' team, gold
Under 13s boys' team, bronze
Under 13s girls' team, bronze
Jake Marwood, under 15s bronze
Under 15s boys' team, silver
Imogen Wharton, under 15s gold
Orla Gregory, under 17s silver
Under 17s girls' team, silver
Ellen Turnbull, under 20s bronze
Chris Stanford, over 40s silver
Dave Watson, over 50s gold
Steve Burthem, over 60s silver
Senior men's team, silver
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