WARRINGTON Athletics Club held their now-annual race named after popular member Nick Jones, who lost his battle with cancer back in 2020, on Saturday.

And there was almost a home winner as Warrington’s Cameron Field came so close to claiming victory at Victoria Park.

The Nick Jones Northern 10,000m Championships was the showpiece event of the club’s Spring Open and in torrential rain, Field and Liverpool Pembroke Sefton’s Ross Harrison soon reeled in early pace-setter Jon-Jo Doherty of Liverpool Harriers.

Harrison took the lead with around a kilometre to go and try as he might, Field could not close the gap as he came home to take second spot in 31mins 5.8secs, with Harrison’s winning time clocked at 31mins 1.9secs. Doherty finished in 31mins 13.9secs to take third place

All three men were presented with their medal’s by Nick’s wife Caroline upon finishing the race.

The meet also saw the club’s younger athletes get the chance to shine on their home track, with many winning medals and recording personal bests. Medals were awarded to the fastest three athletes over the heats of events in which more than one race was run.

In the girls’ under 11s age group, Rosie Carters (11.76secs) won 75m gold ahead of Emilia Gandy (12.06) after both won their races while the medals were reversed in the 600m – both won again but Emilia (1min 59.21secs) just edged Rosie (2mins 8.37secs) for the gold.

Tristan Tickle had a successful event in the boys’ under 11s – a new personal best time of 11.70secs saw him win the 75m while he was third in his 600m heat (1min 57.34secs) and placed second in the long jump with a personal best 3.40m behind clubmate Ho You Clement Yeung, who won on his debut with a jump of 3.92m.

Alfie Furnival missed out on a 600m medal by just half a second as he finished fourth in 1min 57.71secs.

In the girls’ under 13s, Leah Poole won the long jump (4.48m) and came third in both the 100m (14.49secs) and 200m (30.30secs) while for the boys, Louis Green won the long jump (3.98m) and was second in the high jump (1.35m) while there were third-place finishes for Ted Cullen (800m, 3mins 3.18secs) and Joseph Ackers (long jump, 2.79m).

The under 15s was a particularly successful age group with Olivia Crawford (75m hurdles, 12.05secs) and Tallie Sze (200m, 27.72secs) picking up track wins with the latter finishing just ahead of clubmate Ellie-Grace Stuart (29.51secs), who recorded a new best 800m time of 2mins 36.33secs in finishing second in that race.

Tallie was also second in both the long jump (4.87m) and 100m (personal best 13.46), with Olivia fourth in the latter (personal best 13.58secs) while Emily Kinsey (5mins 7.30secs) and Evie-May Williams (5mins 19.77secs) both recorded 1,500m personal bests in finishing second and third respectively.

Ava Gandy also equalled her best height of 1.20m in the high jump as she finished third.

For the boys, Alfie Blizzard won the 800m in a new best time of 2mins 16.59secs ahead of clubmate Euan Lawton, who also lowered his best time to 2mins 23.25secs, while Oliver Davenport finished second over 1,500m in 4mins 41.80secs – also a new best time.

Thomas Darbyshire had three second-place finishes in the 200m (26.72secs), high jump (1.40m) and javelin (28.46m) with the latter two being personal-best efforts.

Imogen Wharton was a winner in the under 17s 1,500m in 4mins 54.32secs while at 800m, Esme Heavey finished second in 2mins 16.48secs ahead of clubmate Hannah Hull, who smashed her personal best to finish third in 2mins 18.94secs.

Second-claim members Evie Elliot (12.80secs) and Macy Brett (13.21secs) were second and third respectively in the 80m hurdles while running for first-claim clubs Bury and West Cheshire respectively while debutant Lucy Ackers was unfortunate to slip and fall in the 100m.

She got up and finished and was allowed to run again with the under 17s men, finishing in 15.64secs.

That race was won by Warrington AC’s Lewis Shaw in 11.86secs while he also claimed 110m hurdle victory in 15.20secs to put him 12th in the early-season European rankings for under 18s.

Jack Marwood comfortable won the under 17s 1,500m in 4mins 4.62secs while in the field, there were wins for Jake Sands (hammer, 32.92m) and Fraser Savage (high jump, 1.60m). Jake also finished second in the shot with a throw of 9.16m.

In the senior events, there were wins for Ben Pucill (800m, 1min 59.01secs), Chris Fance (hammer, 14.53m and shot, 9.16m), Lisa Halliday (400m, 63.44secs) and Jess Connolly (1,500m, 5mins 6.51secs).