Against the best road runners in the north Wallasey Athletic Club's Mike Whiteside produced a personal best time of 1 hr. 55 minutes for the Pembroke 20 mile road race.
Mike was Cheshire's second runner home in only his second 20 mile race, and he took five minutes off his previous time.
He was well supported by John Lynch (2 hrs. 5 mins.) and Len Durkin (2 hrs. 9 mins.), bringing Wallasey team home.
At Hartford eight Wallasey athletes were competing in the Cheshire A.A.A. Championships. Highlighting the day was the high standard of our field event specialists.
Alan Cheers produced two personal bests in the triple Jump. He came a close second to G. Owens (Wirral A.C.) with 43' 8', and only marginally fouling at 44' 20'. He was also third in the long jump with 20' 6'.
Andy Fulton won the youth's discus, throwing 129' 9', and followed this up by taking the silver medal in the shot putting at 40', and coming third in the javelin with 138' - a great afternoon's performance.
In the senior javelin, John Ockenden, making his debut for the club, came third with 158' 3', and Phil Holmes took second in the hammer with 85'
Despite a hard weekend's training over Whit at Lilleshall, the track athletes failed to gain any medals, with the exception of Bob Warburton, who took the bronze medal in the junior 800 metres with 2 min. 2 secs.
Phil Wealthy, stepping down his distance from 5,000 metres to 1,500 metres, recorded 4 mins. 32 secs., for seventh place, after being forced to make the early pace in a tactical race.
Phil Wade, returning from injury, recorded 56.0 secs, to take fifth place in the youths' 400 metres.
The following day saw four teams competing with varying success in a relay meeting at Stretford.
Best placed was the men's 4 x 440 yard team which took third place, Doug Hanna producing the best performance.
The intermediate girls 3 x 880 yards event saw Wallasey take fourth place thanks to a fine run on the last leg by Sylvia Brimage, who gained two places in setting a personal best time of 2 mins. 31.2 secs.
In the senior 4 x 1 m, and juniorgirls 4 x 880 yards both Wallasey teams finished fifth.
Today the New Brighton Road Races are being held as part of the Wallasey Festival Of Sport. Good entries have been received for a youth's, 2½ mile team race and a senior 4 x 2½ mile relay event in which Wallasey A.C. will field two teams.
The ladies travel to Blackburn for the Northern A.A.A. Championship, where it is hoped they will win some medals. Tomorrow the men travel to Cleckheaton, Yorkshire, for the first Northern Athletic League meeting.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 06/06/1970
Ref 1526