News Report 10th June 2007

Local athletes have been in action recently in both worldwide and closer to home events.

Travelling over to America and Canada for two marathons on consecutive weekends was Tywyn Super-Veteran, Alan Morton, and he came home after having produced two unbelievable performances. First up was the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon in the state of Ohio. A time of 3hrs 37.55mins ensured an amazing category victory in the male over-75 section. The following weekend, a hop over the border saw the Bro Dysynni A.C. runner in Canada for the ING Ottawa Marathon. Once again, victory was achieved the male over-75 category, on this occasion in a finishing time of 3hrs 57.46mins.

Across the globe in New Zealand, Alun Llyr Williams of Barmouth was in action at the SBS Christchurch Half Marathon. The race, which also incorporated the New Zealand Half Marathon Championships was the first over this distance tackled by Williams in over a decade. However, digging deep in the final 5k resulted in a pleasing finishing time of 1hr 14.53mins, which claimed an overall 17th place finish out of the 1,662 who completed the event.

Much closer to home, a team of 7 Bro Dysynni athletes headed to Newtown last Friday evening for the Newtown 5k Carnival Race. The magnificent seven were led home by Richard Griffiths of Tywyn in 22.38mins with Malcolm Taylor of Criccieth following in 25.33mins to claim victory in the male over-60 category. Similarly, Marj Griffiths was also victorious in the female over-60 class in 29.14mins whilst in a rare race outing, Bro Dysynni A.C. Chair-Person, Jean Napier of Tywyn came home in 29.45mins.

The ever-green Eirlys Griffiths of Tywyn followed in 34.56mins followed by Helen Williams of Aberdyfi in 36.22mins and Sheila Symonds of Dolgellau whose time of 36.49mins ensured victory in the female over-70 section.

A trio of local athletes tackled the same distance last Sunday, this time competing in the Menai 5k Challenge. Sweltering conditions greeted the field of 250 or so athletes in a race which crossed over from Gwynedd into Anglesey and back again. The local trio were led home by Gwyn Jones of Pwllheli in 20.36mins with Sheila Jones, also of Pwllheli, claiming third female finisher in a time of 24.14mins. Completing the trio was Andy Unwin of Harlech, beaming as he crossed the finishing line in a time of 31.05mins.

The 14th Peak Tuesday Night Fell Race Series continues apace, with two events having been held recently. At the Ras Parc Padarn in Dinorwig, Meirionnydd Running Club athlete, Adam Haynes of Rhyd, claimed 4th place in 37.16mins whilst at the Ras Gyrn Wigau, Frankie Vaughan of Dolgellau finished well in 52.17mins to claim an overall 37th place finish in the gruelling event.

A.Unwin