Westbury Harriers Club Awards, May 2007

After continuous rain drowned out the Avon T&F Championships on the Sunday, we were all studying the weather forecast closely hoping that the same fate would not befall our club awards. Holding such an event outside in the English spring is a double-edged sword: Given fine weather it is idyllic; but beware the rain clouds. Luckily, the skies remained clear and we had a good evening. Thanks to Sandra, Carol and Trish for the barbecue, and to John Canning for the photos.

And thanks to 'local lad' Great Britain International Sprinter Ryan Scott for being our guest of honour. Ryan was initially brought into athletics by middle distance coach Tom Watson, and even found himself training on the dunes of Merthyr Mawr with a distance squad on one occasion, before migrating to sprints coach Malcolm Arnold. Ryan was English Schools 100m champion in 1994, finished second in this years UK Indoor 60m, and went all the way to the finals of the European Indoors Championships.

Having just been named as the 'Easy Runner/Bristol Evening Post Athlete of the Month', Emily Fitzhugh collected her U13 club award along with the individual winning medal from the Gwent Cross-Country League.

Ever enthusiastic and supportive, Rebecca Hopkins won the club person of the year award

Sorry, it turned out a bit blurred, but the individual awards winners were James Massey (U11), Rod Jones (V), Gregg Ward (SM), Ashley Rymer (U20), (Ryan Scott), Jon Barlow (U13), Rob Galt (U15), Harry Webb (U17), Kelly Winstone (U23)
Trish Robson (V), Jane Khan (SW), Poppy Thompson (U11), Emily Fitzhugh (U13), Hannah |Alderson (U15)

The 'Team of the Year' award went to Harry Webb, Tom Carpenter and Joe Dalgleish for their bronze medals in the National Road Relays (3x4k)

Claudia Jacob was named most improved athlete of the year

Dave Perkins, always happy to help out with anything and to talk to anyone, won the David Kay Committee Shield

Female Athlete of the Year went to Floren Scrafton, who finished 6th in the Junior Girls England v Scotland v Wales v Ireland home international cross-country championships

And finally, Male Athlete of the Year went to Joe Dalgleish, who finished 7th in the Intermediate Boys England v Scotland v Wales v Ireland home international cross-country championships

Gwent League Awards

Westbury Harriers has, for many years, made the 'Gwent Cross-Country League' the priority for team competition over the winter. One of the best known leagues in the UK, the league attracts teams from across south Wales and Avon

The U13 girls won their division this year, led home by Emily Fitzhugh (see above).

The U15 boys also won their division

Westbury Harriers dominated the U15 individual awards, led home by individual winner Matt Peters (sorry, no photo), Dan Studley 4^th (photo left), Martin McNeill 8^th , James Robb 9^thand Rob Galt 10^th

The Girls U15 team finished 3^rd in the league

The U17 team also won their division

The U20 men finished 3^rd in their category.

And having won the league for the last two years, our senior women were Gwent League runners up this time around. Sorry no photo on this occasion, so here is one of last year's winning team that didn't make it onto the web: