Nineteen runners completed the Sussex 10,000m championship at Withdean on Wednesday evening, the first time that this championships has been held for many years. The South of England Championship was also held in conjunction and it was Paul Whittaker from Southend who produced a fine display of even paced running to cruise to an impressive win in the “Southern” title having lapped all but one of his opponents in 30:37.30s. It was Josh Guilmant (Phoenix) who was the one who was not lapped and he not only took the silver medal in the “Southern” race but he also won the County title in 31:35.11s.
At the half-way mark James Baker (Chichester), Sam Wade (Phoenix) and Darryl Hards (Worthing) were battling neck and neck but the second half of the race saw Wade fall away and over the final lap it was Hards who had the legs to race away from Baker to take the “South” bronze medal and Sussex silver medal in 32:13.96s with Baker collecting a County bronze in 32:18.95s.
In the women’s race Sarah Roff from Hastings did the double winning both the South of England and Sussex title in 35:58.13s more than one minute clear of Hannah Howard from Eastleigh with Elspeth Turner (Horsham Blue Star) taking third place and second place in the Sussex event in 38:01.83s and Emily Proto (Arena 80) taking the County bronze. In the “Open Events” Spencer Thomas (Phoenix) led from pillar to post the clock a fast 1:52.93s for the 800m while in a good class pole vault competition which continued until after the final 10,000 metre runner had finished Sam Bass-Cooper (Southampton) cleared 4.70m and James Shackleton U20 from Lewes cleared a personal best of 4.20m to beat County senior champion Leigh Walker (Crawley), who cleared 4.10m into third place. Under 17 vaulter Tamsin Campbell (Crawley) won the women’s event at 3.30m. Another county champion to face defeat was Ed Pillai from Worthing who was beaten by Horsham’s Luke Johnson with 49.99m to 47.08s thus reversing the placings in May’s County championship.