THREE siblings won gold medals for Warrington Athletics Club in a unique Cheshire Cross Country Championships at the weekend.

While Siobhan and Orla Gregory joined Joe Buckley and Jack Marwood in achieving individual first places at Betley near Crewe their sister Sinead featured in one of the club’s two winning teams.

In total six members of the Gregory family took part, while Warrington-based Danny Cliffe, who races for Liverpool Harriers, won the men’s race for the umpteenth time.

The event was probably a one-off, taking place in glorious sunshine in mid-April having been delayed three months from the usual muddy and frosty January slot.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions the 331 runners across all age groups were started in waves and were chip timed, with results being calculated on running times.

Thirty-one Warrington AC runners participated.

Warrington Guardian:

In the under 11 girls, Iris Hurst and Emily Kinsey finished in second and third places with times of 9 mins 32 secs and 9 mins 33 secs and along with fifth-placed Eva Hayes 9 mins 54 secs they took team gold.

The B team of Brooke Watson 16th (10mins 45secs), Alana Donlan 18th (11mins) and Elise Buchanan 21st (11mins 50secs) finished as sixth team.

Izzy Cullen completed the squad in 22nd place only one second behind Elise.

Archie Marwood finished third (8mins 09secs) in the under 11s boys and with Joe Welsby sixth (8mins 20secs) and Euan Lawton eighth (8mins 27secs) the team won gold.

Isaac McGuffie ninth (8mins 31secs) and Edward Heavey 11th (8mins 40secs) also ran well.

Warrington Guardian:

In the under 13s Esme Heavey was second (11mins 33secs) and Imogen Wharton third (12mins 05secs), combining with Sinead Gregory sixth (12mins 28secs) to take the team gold medals.

Cara Gregory seventh (12mins 33secs) and Ellie Barker 13th (13mins 13secs) also ran well.

The individual winner was ex-Warrington runner Eva Jha running for Vale Royal.

Warrington Guardian:

Jack Marwood, above (Picture: Mick Hall), took the gold medal in the under 13s boys (10mins 01secs), with Jacob Pryor taking the bronze in 10mins 22secs and together with Spencer Astbury 17th in 12mins 53secs they were the winning team.

Lucie Davies took the under 15s girls bronze medal in 13mins 52secs and along with Harriet Bell sixth in 14mins 29secs and Molly Wormald 11th in 18mins 23secs they took the team bronze medals.

Rory Gregory ran well to finish sixth in the boys’ race.

Warrington Guardian:

Orla Gregory, above (Picture: Mick Hall), was a runaway winner in 21mins 30secs in the under 17s women, with Joy Ashcroft-Carter fourth in 26mins 01secs.

In the under 20s women’s race Siobhan Gregory secured gold in 29mins 21secs.

Warrington Guardian:

Joe Buckley, above (Picture: Mick Hall), took the under 20s men’s gold medal in 21mins 17secs, with Jack Wadsworth fourth in 22mins 21secs, while in the senior men’s race David Gill was 53rd in 26mins 52secs and Steve Burthem 56th in 27mins 06secs which placed them third and fourth in the over 60s age group.

In the senior women’s race Anne Gregory, running for Warrington Road Runners, finished in 34th place overall and was fourth over 50 to complete the family day out.