Lloyd Kempson won the final race of the Peterborough Grand Prix 5k season at Werrington – but Nene Valley Harriers stars Michael Channing and Grace Mullins confirmed themselves as worthy winners of the series.
Indeed, Mullins completed the summer with a 100 per cent record of winning all four of the races that she entered after also sealing glory at the finale.
The Werrington race took place on an unseasonably wet and windy evening – and a strong headwind for the first half of the circuit meant that athletes struggled to post good times on a course that has garnered a reputation for being one of the fastest in the area.
Kempson won in a time of 15.48mins, but was chased all the way by Bedford and County athlete Chris Wright, who finished five seconds further back.
Series winner Michael Channing took third place with a 16.24mins clocking. Channing was accompanied all race by former Nene Valley Harriers Aaron Scott and Josh Lunn, who both finished one second further back.
Peterborough AC’S Amittai Ben-Israel came in sixth with a 16.42mins clocking.
Mullins was a comfortable winner of the ladies’ race, crossing the line in 18.49mins.
Emma Tomlinson-McCrae, also of Nene Valley, won the battle for second place by running a time of 19.39mins to beat March AC’S Toni Alcaraz by just one second.
Nene Valley athletes Ella Robinson, Lindsay Lister and Josie Fortune filled the next three places.
The Junior 3k was dominated by Nene Valley youngsters, with victory going to Samuel Oakley in a time of 10.36mins.
Harvey Hancock and Sid O’Connell were hot on his heels taking second and third place, to make it a Nene Valley on, two, three.
Bourne Town Harrier Molly Peel was the first girl over the line in 11.10mins, some 15 seconds ahead of Nene Valley’s Lottie Hemmings.
Ellie Loosley, of BRJ, was third, but such was the dominance of Nene Valley athletes that they filled an impressive seven of the first ten positions in the boys’ race and three out of the top five in the girls’ event.
