Report by Don Hale

North Wales Road Runners (NWRRC) celebrated an exciting midweek 5k race at Llanrug last Wednesday night with eleven podium places in the NW championships, and collected four gold medals, four silver, and two bronze, with some fast times recorded!

A high-quality field of top club runners pushed the pace throughout and the event winner was Tom Roberts (Meirionnydd RC), who set a new 5k championship record in just 15 minutes and 25 seconds. In 2nd place was Dion Griffiths (Cardiff AC), in 15.42, with Connor Rogers (Wrexham AAC) in hot pursuit in 3rd, and he was only 3-seconds adrift in 15.45.

The ladies race was won by Samia Jones (Liverpool Harriers) in 18.46, with Rachel Shipley (Abergele Harriers), 2nd in 19.00, and Elliw Haf Roberts (Eryri), 3rd in 19.46. There were 217 finishers.

Paul Brooks from North Wales Regional Athletics Council (NWRAC), later confirmed: “Tom Robert’s time was a new NWRAC North Wales 5km championship best, taking 4 seconds off David Mountford's 15:25 set back in 2010 in Rhyl. Thanks to TDL Event Services for their excellent help and to the event organisers for a great race.”

The main race awards were based on 10-year age categories, whilst the NW 5k championships included 5-year age group reviews. These are the NW championship medal results: *GOLD: M45 Martin Green, M60 Steve Gardner, F50 Carla Green, and Karen Butler F60. *SILVER: M45 Jonathan Kettle, M70 Rob Fryer, F50 Hannah Griffith, F55 Cheryl Frost. BRONZE: M40 Will Evans, M50 Stuart Culverhouse, and F60 Kay Hatton.

NWRRC members Martin Green and Jonathan Kettle had excellent runs, and both finished in the top-ten. Martin was 4th overall in 16.41, and he won his M40-49 age cat, with Jonathan in 10th place, and 3rd in the same age cat as Martin in 17.28.

Steve Gardner continued his recent track form to win his M60-69 cat in 33rd place in 19.14, and Steve Mason enjoyed a good run, and he finished 40th in 19.47, and Will Evans ensured the club recorded five fast finishers, who all dipped under the magic 20-minute mark, following a positive pack performance in 19.54.

Some other members worthy of note included: Carla Green, who was the 6th female, and she also won her F55-59 cat in 20.33, Cheryl Frost 3rd F50-59 in 23.46; Kay Hatton 3rd in her F60-69 cat in 24.01, newcomer Molly Evans winning her FU20 cat in 25.27, and master veteran Rob Fryer, who enjoyed further success after finishing 2nd in his new F70-79 cat in 26.30.

**The main race results were: *4th Martin Green 16:41,1st M40-49; *10th Jonathan Kettle 17:28, 3rd M40-49; *33rd Steve Gardner 19:14, 1st M60-69; *40th Steve Mason 19:47; *42nd William Evans 19:54; *45th Stuart Culverhouse 20:03, 4th M50-59; *57th Carla Green 20:33, 6th Lady 1st F50-59; *59th Adam Lemalle 20:43; *61st Sion Thomas 20:52; *62nd James Jones 20:54; *75th Steve Roberts 21:32; *96th Jamie Tharme 22:12; *101st Richard Scamans 22:36; *119th Daniel Hennell 23:34; *122nd Cheryl Frost 23:46, 24th Lady, 3rd F50-59; *125th Kay Hatton 24:01, 26th Lady, 3rd F60-69; *137th Karen Butler 24:50, 30th Lady, 4th F60-69; *138th Hannah Griffith 25:00, 31st Lady;*145th Molly Evans 25:27, 35th Lady, 1st FU20; *153rd Elizabeth Driscoll 25:59;*157th Gethin Jones 26:26; *158th Rob Fryer 26:30, 2nd M70-79;*171st Vicky Taylor 27:29;*190th Len Jackson 30:03;*191st Rachel Morris 34.03.