photo by Steven Farley@www.thegraphiccorner.co.uk
Ellie Mclean passes the baton the Isabelle Chappell – U17 team gold
The Eastbourne Rovers athletes were out in force for this years Sussex Road Relays held at Preston Park on Saturday 8th April. It is notorious as a challenging yet fun event over the Easter break where Under 11/13 and 15 age groups run a mile loop with Under 17/20/ Seniors & Masters completing 2 loops. All teams consisted of 3 athletes, except Under 17/20 Men and Senior Men where there were 4 in the team.
Ilya Korchev ran the fastest leg for the under 15 age group in an impressive 4mins 44secs. Together with his team-mates Thomas Petherick and Oscar Mizen, they held on to clinch the bronze medal by 2 seconds from Brighton & Hove A/C.
The strong Eastbourne under 17 girls team dominated their race to take the gold medal. Ellie Mclean ran the fastest leg overall in 11mins 39secs.
Fin Lumber – Fry set the pace by running a storming first leg and fastest lap in the Under 13 boys race in 5mins 14secs. Ben Wright and Jonah Messer pushed on for a convincing win and gold team medals, 34 seconds ahead of silver medallists Brighton & Hove A/C. The Eastbourne under 13 boys B team of Joshua Webster, Byron Roberts and George Armstrong – Smith had incredible runs where they were also on the podium as bronze medallists. Great things are sure to come from this trio with Joshua Webster and Byron Roberts only in their first year in the Under 13 age group.
Evie Lennard ran the joint 3rd fastest leg in the Under 13 girls race in 5mins 42 secs and together with her teammates Lexie Mclean and Elsa Ducat, they achieved bronze, 5 seconds ahead Crawley A/C.
Fintan Pearce deserves a mention as he goes from strength to strength as he ran not one, but 2 legs in the under 17 race (10mins 35secs & 11mins 32secs).
Full Sussex road relay results: –
U11 Girls – Georgia Lennard7.21, Isla Philipson 7.30
U11 boys Charlie Davey 6.22, Jake Cooper 7.15, Fox Andrews 6.08
U13 Girls Evie Lennard 5.42, Lexie Mclean 6.07, Elsa Ducat 6.32. Alicia Stone 7.13
U13 Boys Fin Lumber – Fry 5.14, Ben Wright 5.27, Jonah Messer 5.35 (Gold Team)
U13 Boys (B) Joshua Webster 5.33, Byron Roberts 5.41, George Armstrong – Smith – 6.04
(Bronze Team)
U15 Girls Raya Petrova 5.59, Katherine Brown 6.42, Freda Pearce 5.37
U15 Boys Ilya Korchev 4.44, Thomas Petherick 5.26, Oscar Mizen 5.37 (Bronze Team)
U17 Girls – Ellie Mclean 11.39, Isabelle Chappell 13.43, Eleanor Strevens 11.48 (Gold Team)
U 17 Boys – Fintan Pearce 10.35, Kaleb Berhaine 12.03, Benjamin Brown 11.21, Fintan Pearce 11.32