Wallasey Athletic Club produced its most successful series of performances for some years in the Merseyside Women's relay championships at Kirkby last weekend.
They came away with three sets of medals, and it was the under -13 girls who achieved the best performances of the day.
In the 4 x 100 metres race, Wallasey's team of Joanne Johnson, Lisa Hawley, Liesel Phillips and Jane McCoy finished second in 59.1 sec. just eight-tenths of a second behind Liverpool Harriers. And this despite the fact that Liesel had to hurdle over a fallen runner on her stage!
In the 4 x 800 metres race at the same age level, Joanne, Liesel and Jane were joined by Kerry Eaton, and the club finished an excellent third in 10 min 55.7 sec.
Finally in the senior 3 x 800 metres relay Lynne Kennedy and Francesca Phillips were joined by Anne Brimage to third place in 8 min 6.6 sec. behind Sutton Harriers and Liverpool Harriers. Perhaps the best individual relay run of the day came from Lisa O'Hara who easily beat her previous best: time with a clocking of 2 min 33 sec in the junior race.
There were three wins for Wallasey in the men's open events held in conjunction, Mark Cooper scored an excellent colts and boys' 800 metres win in 2 min 15 sec. while Ray Eaton took the boys' 200 metres in 27 secs and Michael King won the colts' mile in 5 min 35.7 sec.
The club's leading 800 metres runner, Peter Jones, recorded his best time for several years with 1 min 55.5 sec. in an open race at Stretford, while other Wallasey members were in action on the roads. Jimmy Ennis was placed 10th in the Birkenhead Park 10-mile race in 57 mins - a personal best - with Peter Smith also running well for a 59 min clocking.
Wallasey's senior men and some youth's were involved in a Northern League meeting a| Blackpool on Saturday.
Wallasey finished third against six clubs from all over the North including Blackpool, Darlington and Airedale.
The 400 metres hurdle, which was the first event, set the standard for Wallasey with Neil Tunstall in the 'A' string race and Steve Henfrey in the 'B' both finishing second. Unfortunately, it was a standard that could not be maintained.
Chris Preston and Doug Hanna showed well in hammer and discus, with Chris winning both throwing events for the 'A' easily and Doug bringing home two thirds for the 'B' - not bad for the club's chief coach. Probably the most interesting race to watch was the 1500 metres, in which Kevin McGee and James Roberts competed. The athletes remained closely packed until about a lap and a half from the finish when Kevin broke away with two other men. Down tap back straight he should have kicked away from them but he left it too late to attack and had to follow one athlete home to finish second. Jim finished second in the 'B' string which was run with the 'A' string.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 14/05/1983
Ref 1974