Wallasey Athletic Club produced some fine performances in bad conditions to win some excellent prizes at the Lancashire Constabulary Annual Athletic Sports, St. Helens.
On a cold, wet afternoon, Wallasey's day was brightened by a string of successes, crowned by the tremendous performance of the 4 x 400 Metre relay team who won the Coronation Cup for the first time.
Their time of 3 mins. 30 secs., is the best performance ever produced by a Wallasey team.
Doug Hanna ran a solid first leg in 54.2 secs., finishing a close second, leaving Ian Wilson in a perfect position behind the leading Leigh Harriers runner to take the lead on the second leg powering his way round in 52.2 secs.
Pete Lewis stretched the lead, returning in 50.8 secs., and Mike Teahan finished it all of with a 53.6 secs. final lap.
The club's 'strength to this event has always been apparent, especially with the return of Pete and Ian from Durham University, and Mike Teahan's recovery from injury.
Only an hour before, Pete Lewis and Doug Hanna were running excellent 800 metres. Pete ran a tactically perfect race just a yard down in second place, while Doug came through strongly to run a best of 1 min. 58 secs. to pip Barrie Smith home on the line.
Barrie, now running nearer his best, later joined Dave Lockley and Philip Wealthy
in the 3,000 metres team race.
Dave doing a personal best of 8 mins. 35.8 secs. to take fifth place individually, helping the team to third place.
This shows he has retained his newly found confidence after his mid-week win in the same event, at the Liverpool Parks and Gardens Championships.
The track girls were not to be outshone, and from a small party, Susan Carter took a well deserved prize in a good 400 metre field.
After an easy heat, Susan ran strongly in the final to take third place with a best of 64.8 secs.
Not so lucky in her heat was Lindsey Mutch who, in the outside lane, ran a best of 65.5 secs. only to be squeezed out of the final in a blanket finish.
In the hotly contested girls' 100 metres, Julie Halfpenny did well to gain a place in the final where she finished sixth.
In the field events, Alan Cheers used the following wind to advantage, jumping 20ft. 7ins. only to be beaten by 1 inch to finish second.
He can, however, be consoled, knowing he is capable of over 21 feet.
In the high jump he was beaten by his coach Carl Gee who took first place, as well as second in the shot.
Another field event success came in the Northern Youth's Championships at Derby, Andy Fulton took a good second in the shot, putting over 43 ft., and losing by inches, and took fourth place in the javelin.
At the same meeting, Bob Brimage ran disappointingly in a top class 2,000 metre steeplechase, finishing eighth.
Dave Hughes and Len Durkin achieved personal bests, to finish in the first half of a large field in the Winsford 7-mile Road Race, improving by one minute and two minutes respectively on last year's time.
Today teams are entered in an inter club 3,000 metres race at Chester, and the Eccles 10-mile Road Race.
Tomorrow will see the club's pentathlon championships at Lingharn Park (2 p.m., all ages, men and women). There will be refreshments and a club photograph, all members of the Supporters' Association welcome.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 11/07/1970 by P.M.W.
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