Page 12 - Unknown

MASTERS ATHLETICS SUMMER 2014.
World Veterans 10k & 25k Championships held at the NEC.
He was also a prominent coach helping many athletes to
achieve their ambitions. No mean performer himself, John
always ran until a debilitating virus curtailed his activities.
John was involved for many years with MMAC and helped
set up the course for the National Masters Open Road
Relays held every year at Sutton Park.
Our condolences go to his wife, Janet, to his family and
many friends in athletics.
Editor: I worked with John for many years as announcer on
some of his ambitious Road Races.
An amazing man he slept over at events in order to ensure
all was still there in the morning, organised TV and Radio
coverage of some of his events, attracting top African
runners to his events. He even involved the Armed Forces
with a helicopter to film the race from above. I asked the
army Radio man how far his radio operated, China said the
serviceman.
At one National Championships I met a confused Sebastian
now Lord Coe walking round saying he was to be
interviewed by someone for a local TV Station. When I found
John who had returned to the famous bus which was the
centre of things at the Sutton Park Relays, I asked John who
the interviewer was. He looked at me and said “you, I meant
to tell you but it slipped my mind”. They say the best
interviews are the unrehearsed ones. John I shall miss you!
RACE WALKING
BMAF 5k RACE WALKING CHAMPIONSHIP, HORWICH,
15th JUNE.
WORDS: Eric Horwill
12
A record field of 39 competed in the 5k Race Walk.
The good surface of this three lap, traffic free town centre
course, combined with a mild morning with slight drizzle
produced splendid performances by the Walkers involved.
The BMAF and EAMA medals were presented following this
well organised and well marshalled Walk, at the Town’s
Leisure Centre shortly after the event had finished.
Double World Champion Colin Turner won the Age related
competition and set a course best performance, whilst
Andrea Lennon, Penelope Cummings, Fiona Bishop, Mark
Williams and Tony Taylor did likewise.
Lancashire Walking Club won both Team Events.
Andrew Fraser is to be congratulated for organising
Scotland’s first ever team in the age related competition, and
a striking fact is that the competition included five
competitors over 80 years of age.
Results:
W35:Penelope Cummings AFD 29:07 (CBP) ; W40: Sarah Lightman
Leics WC 30:28; W45: 1 Julie Bellfield Halesowen 32:04; 2 Lynn Bellfield
Halesowen 35:21; 3 Claire Goulden Lancs WC 36:29; W50: Hilary Mann
Sparkhill 31:57; W55: 1 Fiona Bishop Woking 31:25 (CBP); 2 Cath Duhig
Royston 31:40; W70: Andrea Lennon 37:18 (CBP); M45: 1 Mark
Williams Tamworth 25:09 (CBP); 2 Andrew Fraser York RWC 28:03; 3
Richard Robb Lancs 36:36; M50: 1 Patrick Murphy IRL 25:53; 2 Bill
McFadden Portabello 28:27; 3 Mark Byrne Redcar 33:33; M55: 1 Simon
Pugh NVAC 31:12; 2 Ian Donaldson Lancs 35:39; 3 Philip McCullaugh
Lancs 38:59; M60: 1 Greg Smith Lancs WC 28:33; 2 Sean Pender
Enfield & H 31:30; M65: 1 Tony Taylor Lancs WC 27:17 (CBP); 2 Roger
Mitchell Surrey WC 28:14; 3 Sean McMullin IRE 28:20; 4 Peter Boszko
Birchfield 28:48; 5 Roy Gunnett Lanc WC 32:17; 6 mStephen Sargent
Lancs 34:07; 7 John Crahan Lancs 34:59; 8 John Softley Bellahouston
36:10; M70: 1 Colin Turner Nuneaton 27:52; 2 Shaun Lightman Surrey
WC 29:37; 3 Glyn Jones Coventry G 31:08; 4 Joe Hardy Lanc WC 32:33;
5 John Grayson York 36:22; M75: Norbert Will NIMAC 34:36; M80: 1
John Payn Lancs 36:51; 2 Ken Livermore Enfield & H 40:45; 3 Eric
Horwill Dudley &S 40:59; M85: 1 James Farar NVAC 42:10; 2 Edwin
Grocock Sheffield 42:55;
EAMA TEAM EVENT: 1 ENGLAND 88.03%; 2 IRELAND 76.31%; 3
SCOTLAND 70.18%;
B.M.A.F. 30KM CHAMPIONSHIPS
(MEN/WOMEN) Business Park, Warwick
University, Coventry. Sunday 13th.July 2014.
Only 10 men and 1 lady lined up for this race demonstrating
the dislike of so many of today’s walkers to the longer
distances. The fear of being disqualified when you tire as a
result of not being able to straighten your leg is taking its toll.
No one wants to get to the latter stages of the race only to be
removed from the competition as happened to Ian Richards
in this championships. Leading from the start and setting out
on a world record schedule he quickly built a lead that
reached almost 20 minutes when he was DQ’d at 27km still
on schedule to beat the record he set In Upice last year by
around 3 minutes.
That left the way open for Steve Allen to win the
race and the M55 age group from Sean McMullin M65 from
Ireland, a regular visitor to BMAF championships. Sean had
battled with Chris Berwick M65 and Andrew Fraser M45,
down from Scotland, throughout the race, all 3 finishing
within one minute.
Maureen Noel F50 finished 5th overall, an excellent
result.
1 Steve Allen M55 3.12.08; 2 Sean McMullin M65 3.16.36; 3 Chris
Berwick M65 3.16.58; 4 Andrew Fraser M45 3.17.36; 5 Peter
Boszko M65 3.28.18; 6 Ken Bobbett M70 3.30.32; 7 Parminder
Bhatti M55 3.47.36; 8 David Fall M65 3.58.29; 9 Russell Vroobel
4.12.25; BMAF Team Birchfield Maureen Noel F50 3.26.25;