Sunderland Harriers claimed two sets of team medals in the 24th Sunderland 5k Road Race, which also hosted the North East and Northern Championships at Silksworth Sports Complex last night.
The Sunderland women’s team finished second to Jarrow and Hebburn, while the men equalled that performance in their event behind runaway winners Morpeth Harriers.
The Sunderland women’s team celebrated with fine runs from Alice Smith, who finished 10th in 18min 36sec, 16-year-old Eve Quinn in 15th (19.40) and Vicky Haswell in 22nd (20.08), to the delight of team manager Eddie Maddison.
The men’s team were led by Andy Powell in 15th with a personal best of 15.32, while Kevin Jeffress was 16th (15.33) and Kevin Calvert took 19th (15.43).
Sunderland Harriers secretary Michael Hill said: “It makes all the hard work of putting this event on when you win medals in both events.
“They were great performances by our runners in possibly the best field seen in the North East for a club men’s road race.’’
The race lived up to all expectations, with Blaydon Road Race winner Peter Newton, making it a winning debut at Siksworth, taking first place in 14.43.
In second place, also on his first outing at Silksworth, was New Marske runner Dominic Shaw, who recorded 14.49, followed by another Morpeth Harrier, Nick Swinburn, in third (14.53).
Newton said: “I managed to pull away at the far end of the big lake after a bit of a battle between the three of us.
“I’m a bit disappointed with the time, although it was a bit windy.’’
Shaw said: “He was a too strong for me. But I enjoyed the race and the course and I will definitely be back next year.’’
Four men broke the benchmark of 15 minutes and the fourth man, Carl Avery, was the other one (14.59).
Salford’s Thomas Cornthwaite was fifth (15.04) and Houghton junior Alex Brown had a storming run to finish sixth in 15.07. The rest of the first ten were Gregory Jayasuriya (Middlesbrough) in seventh 15.12, eighth-placed Thomas Straughan (Morpeth) in 15.16, George Lowry (Jarrow and Hebburn), who was ninth in 15.19 and 10th-placed Matthew Williams (Notts AC) 15.21