Cambridge & Coleridge AC earn multiple medals at the English Cross Country Relay Championships
Cambridge & Coleridge cemented their position as one of the leading athletics clubs in the country by earning four medals at the English Cross Country Relay Championships.
At the event in Mansfield, there was a silver medal for the senior men’s teams, and bronze medals for the senior women, junior men and under-15 boys.
“Our senior men were second which is the best result that we’ve ever had,” said C&C coach Mark Vile.
“We’ve never had our senior men win a medal and our senior women win a medal on the same day, so that is another first. It was a really good day all round.”
Jonathan Escalante-Phillips, Joe Smith, Jack Gray and Marc Scott formed the senior men’s team that took the silver medal in 1hr 5.45min, with Leeds City AC 31sec ahead in the gold medal spot.
In the senior women’s race, Holly Archer, Victoria Knight and Suzie Reid timed 32.35 to seal the bronze medal as Aldershot Farnham & District won in 31.09.30. Leeds City AC A were second in 32.08.30.
Ollie Newman, Nicholas Harhalakis and Thomas Keen were in C&C’s junior men’s A team.
They finished fourth in 27.43, but with St Mary’s College not counting for the team medals, it earned them the bronze medal. Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers A were first in 27.12, with Invicta East Kent second in 27.17.
Completing the medal haul were the under-15 boys’ A team of George Keen, Isaac Morris and Isaac Rothwell.
They were third in 21.07.85, as South London Harriers A won in 21.04.50, with Vale Royal AC A second in 21.06.35.
“I think the most medals we had won was three in any one day, and I think that was the Southern Championships but this was by far the best race we’ve ever had, without a shadow of a doubt,” said Vile.
“It just outlines the strength of the club. It’s very unscientific but I gave each club 10 points for a win, down to one point for 10th, in all the age groups.
“When I got home, showing how much of a nerd I am, Aldershot came out on top, Windsor Slough & Eton came out second and we were third.
“It doesn’t mean much but it shows we are now, on our day, one of the top athletics clubs in the country.”
Vile had particular praise for team manager Ric Park.
“Ric is an absolute top bloke who puts in so much work that I can’t add up the amount of hours he does,” he said. “He deals with all the admin, all the entries, he looks after everyone on the day and without him we wouldn’t be where we are.
“Ric is the unsung hero.”
