Hercules Wimbledon AC round-up: Contingent compete at Liverpool Cross Challenge
A small but speedy contingent headed to the Liverpool Cross Challenge last weekend for the Sefton Park event that doubles as a trial for the European Cross-Country Championships in Belgium in two weeks time, writes George Mallett.
A man who knows what it is like to represent Great Britain & Northern Ireland in that event is Stu McCallum, the Scotsman who finished sixth the last time he took to the trial. He was duly first home for Hercules on Saturday in 48th, and although somewhat disappointing McCallum will have little regrets in attempting to finish towards the qualifying spots after an interrupted injury-afflicted build-up.
Henry Silverstein was next home in 103rd, a performance that saw him finish 30th of the U23s competing and another significant step up in a highly promising cross-country season.
Silverstein was recently 10th in the second Surrey League Cross Country fixture at Mitcham Common. Just under two minutes back from Silverstein was Tom Maloney, whose 179th position was 68th of the U23s.
A number of the club’s athletes ran the Dulwich parkrun and although Alex Milne and Charlie Wyllie finished second and fifth respectively in 15:00 and 15:16.
U15 Theo Creed, who was part of the Hercules quartet that won U13 team silver earlier this year at the English National Cross Country Championships, took a staggering two minutes off his PB time to run 16:40, finishing 19th on the day.
Hercules athletes finished first in parkruns at Burnham & Highbridge through Archie Walton in 16:32, Wimbledon Common thanks to Ed Mallett’s 16:29 and at Clair with George Mallett in 16:41. Rob Tuer was first home at Kingston in 17:12.
Some athletes competed at the South of the Thames Five Mile race in Beckenham Place Park. John Foley was first home for Hercules in 79th in 30:05, Nick Grogan in 31:14 and Peter Lee in 112th. Adam May was 118th and Charles Hampden-Smith 174th. The team finished 21st.
James Stockings competed in the Lanzarote International Running Challenge on Sunday, finishing the first stage in second place, having run 32:43 over the 10k course.
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