THE founder of Prestatyn Running Club has become one of the first to be inducted into Welsh Athletics’ North Wales Hall of Fame for people who have dedicated more than 20 years of service.

Some 40 years after the calling the first public meeting to discuss the establishment of a club Gareth Hughes had his contribution to the sport recognised by the North Wales Regional Athletics Council (NWRAC) at Eirias Park.

He was one of three to receive awards, alongside Bernie and Denise Harris of Deeside AAC. Another recipient, though not present, was Wrexham AAC’s long-serving secretary Bob Frost, while others who are now deceased, David Alun Williams, Sue Sayer, Neil Dunn and Ken Ross, were also recognised.

Gareth, who received an Award of Honour from Welsh Athletics five years ago, is a former chairman of the North Wales Regional Council and is currently vice-chairman of the North Wales Cross-Country Association.

He still competes at the age of 75 and over the years has organised numerous competitions including three British Masters’ cross-country championships, and he ran in the Ellesmere Port Parkrun on Saturday - finishing with a time of 27.10.

Paul Brooks, secretary of the NWRAC, said on the night: “We discussed the fact that when our long-serving officials and coaches retired from our sport, we felt that a thank you letter was insufficient.”

Prestatyn Running Club runners were present at the Nova Parkrun on Saturday.

Results were: 12 Steve Weedman 22.55, 24 Andy Clark 25.07, 36 Julia Evans 27.33, 49 Sue Hughes 28.30, 64 Debbie Weedman 31.25, 66 Linda Friar 31.31, 68 Nem James 32.04,82 Caroline Jones 35.10, 83 Lesley Furneaux 35.25.

Conwy Parkrun: 4 Steve Forsyth 16.28 (pb), 8 Will Williams 19.29, 91 Arwel Jones 25.42, 107 Alan Jones 26.57. Wepre Parkrun: 50 Steve Brown 27.19. Shrewsbury: 350 Helen Baxandall 32.41, 370 Karen Bancroft 33.54.

Club captain James Rogers took to the hills on Sunday, joining a large field for the Breidden Hills fell-race at Criggion in Powys.

Though only seven miles it involves 2,590 feet of climbs and is described as “a proper fell-race, with no blubbering or crying at the end”.

James finished a creditable 86th in 1-56.26.

Next Sunday sees the first of two unfortunate fixture clashes, with the opening race of the Borders Road-Running League in Delamere Forest and the Flintshire 10k in Mold, which is a North Wales Championship.

Members are reminded that under the League’s new results system they must obtain a barcode from the League website to enable them to compete.