Both Emily Williams and Claudia Nevett were successful in finishing in the top 6 in the Virgin Mini Marathon trials to guarantee a place in the East Midland Squad in the Virgin Mini Marathon on London Marathon day. The trial race was held over 3x 1mile loops at Leicester County Hall and top 6 finishers qualify for the UK’s most prestigious road race, the Virgin Mini Marathon, held over the final 3 miles of the historic London marathon course on the morning of the London Marathon.
Emily Williams enjoyed another superb run over the 3 mile course to finish in an excellent 2nd place to show she is every bit as good on Road as she is on Track or Cross Country. Emily sat in with a chasing pack of 5 athletes after Jasmine Cooper had opened up an early lead on the first lap, and closed in on the second place athlete, Heanor’s Lily Winfield in the final lap and with 300m to go she moved onto her shoulder and surged ahead with a powerful and well timed finish to take a superb 2nd place in 18:00 dead just 15 seconds behind Cooper.
Claudia Nevett also ran a terrific race in a high quality field was right up with a leading pack of 6 athletes who quickly split the field on the opening lap, the leading pack splintered slightly on lap 2/3 but all 6 girls were well ahead of the chasing pack and Claudia maintained her position to finish in a terrific 6th place in 18:25 to claim a qualification space for the VMM, for the second time in 3 years.
Both girls now head for the UK’s top ranked road race in London on Marathon day, earning an overnight stay and some East Midlands Squad race clothing!
Claudia Nevett & Emily Williams representing East Midland Region in
the Virgin Mini Marathon
There was also decent runs from Ethan Mehmet in the U17 trial race, finishing in 11th place in 17:35 & Dannielle McCann-Gaskell in the U15G race finishing in 18th place 20:09.
Further afield Dylan Bowley added another XC win to ever growing list with a fine win at the Ivanhoe Challenge races hosted by the Ivanhoe Robins AC, Dylan was untroubled in the 2.5km course and won comfortably from Corby AC Luca Meyers in 9:40 to take gold.
Also in London, Francesca Ashworth, who is studying politics at Kings College, continued her fine season with another fine run in the Hyde Park relays, a University competition hosted by Imperial College now in its 67th year, Fran competing for KCL team of 4 helped them to a fine 3rd place for external teams earning a specially inscribed relay baton, very apt for the anchor leg of the English National 4x400m women’s champions!
Special Inscribed Relay Baton for Fran!
Well done to all the Harriers continuing the winning momentum of 2016!