Hercules Wimbledon teenager Liam White made a superb start to his autumn racing programme when he posted the fastest lap time of the day in the Surrey men's U17 cross country relay at Stoke Park, Guildford, on Sunday.
But, the 16-year-old just failed in his bit to secure the gold team medals for his club. White took over more than 100 metres behind the leader and battled hard to pull back the 19 second advantage. By the time he had completed his leg in 6:47 the gap had been reduced to just two seconds the margin by which the Hercules Wimbledon team missed out on gold.
For White, it was a confidence-boosting performance for this winter's cross country programme. Not only was his lap time the fastest of the day but it was 31 seconds faster than White clocked last year when he was the second best of the day and considerable faster than last year's fastest lap time of 7:02.
First leg runner Joe Toomey also showed improved form bringing the Hercules Wimbledon team home six seconds clear in 7:05, the fourth fastest time of the day and 26 seconds faster than Toomey clocked in 2008. Second leg runner Ed Saywell was handicapped by the affect of a cold but got round in a useful 7:29.
This weekend, White, Toomey and Saywell will be in action in the opening Sweatshop Surrey cross country league Division One race at Reigate Priory on Saturday. The senior men will be aiming to consolidate on their third place achieved last season.
A week after helping his club win the South of England six-stage road relay title, Ben Moreau from Aldershot, Farnham and District gained an impressive win in the annual Geoff Moulden road race organised by Hercules Wimbledon at Wimbledon Park on Sunday. This year the distance was reduced from 10 miles to 10km and Moreau set an impressive inaugural course record of 31:10.
Tom Bedford, son of London marathon director, Dave, made a fast start and took the £20 prize for the first runner to reach the 400m point. He then dropped back and it was Moreau and Grzegorz Sobcyk who went to the front of the field with Moreau racing away in the final 800m to win by eight seconds in 31:10. Early leader Bedford was fifth in 33:40.
First Hercules Wimbledon runner was Mike Halman, who was eighth in 34:38 with teenager Alex Robinson first junior finisher crossing the line 10th in 34:59. Less than 24 hours after running in the Surrey young athletes cross country relays, Joe Toomey was in action again. He was the youngest runner in the race and finished 15th in 38:22, the third member of the winning Hercules Wimbledon team.
Adam Sikora was 17th in 38:41, over 50 veteran Hugh Saxby 19th and second in his age category in 38:51, Matthew Sharp 20th in 38:59, Steve Sinnott 21st and second over 40 veteran in 39:12 and Stewart Bond 22nd and fourth over 40 veteran in 39:32, just five seconds ahead of Alex Urban.
Hercules Wimbledon's Clare Grima won the women's race in 39:53 beating husband David by 15 seconds. She also led Hercules Wimbledon to a team win with Deborah Noel fifth in 44:28 and Rowena Hornshaw 10th in 51:54, completing the winning trio.
Hercules Wimbledon's Adam Przedrzymirski was runner-up out of more than 130 runners in the For Goodness Shakes X-Terrain Festival 10km off road race at Hawley Lake, Camberley, in 35:45. He was just five seconds behind the winner.
James Garnier was fourth out of more than 150 runners in the Wimbledon Common parkrun in 18:17, just ahead of Adam Sikora who was fifth in 18:21, improving on his previous best by 16 seconds. Michaela Knespl was fourth in the women's race in 21:09. Maurice Sharp posted the top age-graded performance as first over 60 veteran in 21:19.
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