Athletics: Wales go bronze in Championship

Apr 5 2008 by Our Correspondent, South Wales Echo

CARDIFF AAC athletes Nathaniel Lane, Richie Gardiner and Mark Jennings and Newport Harrier Clare Martin helped Wales win bronze at the Home Countries Cross-Country International in Edinburgh.

Held for the first time since 1990, the event featured three senior and three under-20 men and women from each home country.

Racing on virtually the same course used the following day for the World Cross Country Championships, Lane ran an even-paced race as he carved his way through the field from last of 24 starters to finish seventh as Wales missed team silver by three points.

Gardiner and Martin made strong starts and were in the top 10 throughout the race while Jennings moved through the field during the race to finish tenth.

After the race, and with his next outing scheduled to be the Flora London Marathon next weekend, Lane said he was satisfied with his preparation.

“I was very happy with both the performance and the result,” he said.

“I felt strong. It shows everything bodes well for London. To have all four scorers finish within 25 seconds in an 8km race is a very good team performance.

“The whole weekend was a good experience. There were lots of Welsh supporters who had travelled for the World Cross supporting us.

“We were staying in the same Halls of Residence as the World Cross athletes. It was valuable for the junior athletes to see how the world’s leading cross-country runners prepare for a major event.

“After half a lap I was last by 50 metres. I was so far back that one person asked Andy Walling, Wales’ manager, if I had an injury and another thought I had missed the start.

“However, all I did was run at the same pace throughout the race. I probably caught Richie with around two-thirds of a lap (1.5km) to go and got away from him on the Haggis Hill and held the gap.

“The performance overall was very encouraging and it was nice to get compliments from the right people. It is a confidence boost as my last four races – at the Wokingham Half Marathon, Welsh Cross Country champs, Welsh 5km road champs and Bath Half Marathon – had been below par.”

Welsh Results: Senior and Junior Men – 8 km: 7 Nathaniel Lane 25:43; 8 Richie Gardiner 25:45; 10 Mark Jennings 25:59; 12 Craig Peters 26:08; 20 Thomas Marshall 27:46; Senior and Junior Women – 6 km: 9 Clare Martin 21:44; 14 Delyth James 22:47; 16 Shan Morgan 22:56; 19 Amanda Jones 23:45; 20 A B Thomas 23:57