England teams take double victory at inaugural Leeds Inter Area Relays
The Men and Women’s England teams for the inaugural Leeds Inter Area Relays ran two great races to take double victory.
The women were surprised by North Team fielding Olympian Jess Judd who ran a very strong first leg to set a 25-second lead. However, England's second-leg runner, Nicole Taylor ran the fastest leg of the day to reel in the North’s second leg runner and take the lead. From then on each England athlete extended the lead to secure a comfortable win for the women.
- Kate Avery: 10:22 (Club: Shildon)
- Nicole Taylor: 10:15 (Club: Tonbridge/Brighton Uni, Coach: Richard Owen)
- Lucy Robinson: 10:28 (Club: Wakefield/Leeds Uni, Coach: Kieron Hall)
- Sarah Astin: 10:28 (Club: Belgrave, Coach: Geoff Watkin)
- Lilly Coward: 10:37 (Club: Invicta East Kent/St. Mary's Uni, Coach: Craig Winrow)
The North also had a competitive men’s team and the first two legs were closely contested runs pushing Alfie Manthorpe to the fastest leg on the day before Dan Bebbington pulled away on England’s third to allow the men to match the women with a secure first place.
- Miles Weatherseed: 9:08 (Club: Tonbridge/Oxford Uni, Coach: Mark Hookway)
- Alfie Manthorpe: 9:04 (Club: Sheffield & Dearne/Sheffield Uni, Coach: John Wood)
- Daniel Bebbington: 9:14 (Club: Preston, Coach: Helen Clitheroe)
- Ricky Harvie: 9:10 (Club: Aldershot, Farnham & District/Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow, Coach: Joel Kidger)
- Jonathan Escalante-Philips: 9:09 (Club: Cambridge & Coleridge/Cambridge Uni)
Teams coach Jo Wilkinson said, "For a team mostly made up of athletes on their England debut it was a professional, committed and strong performance with an excellent team spirit."
Congratulations to all the team and to Northern Athletics for an excellent event.
Full results on the Rotherham Harriers website.