Cordwell Wins Silver at World Tetradecathlon Championships

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There was international multi-eventing silverware for the club this week, as Rick Cordwell clinched a magnificent silver in the M45 age group at the World Tetradecathlon Championships. The event, which took place in Helsinki, Finland, encompasses a gruelling 14 indoor track and field events. Running events range from 60m to 5km alongside a plethora of field events; every jump is included – high, long, triple, and pole vault – plus a variety of throwing events.

Rick Cordwell (left) on the podium after winning the silver medal at the world Tetradecathlon
Rick Cordwell (left) on the podium after winning the silver medal at the world Tetradecathlon

Now that the clocks have gone forward and nights are drawing out, mid-week races are re-commencing. Douglas Fleming was the Harriers’ sole representative at the Stanhill 5k trail race near Oswaldtwistle on Wednesday 8th. He sadly had no club mates to celebrate with, but he secured a fine first-place finish in the V65 category with a time of 23:12.

On Sunday 12th, Graham Schofield was another solitary Horwich runner enjoying good form in East Lancashire. His 51:23 placed him 1st V70 at the Brun Valley 10k. Meanwhile, at the Mike Briggs Wirksworth Incline Fell Race in Derbyshire, Ian Conroy was challenging the locals at the pointy end. The 6.9km course is a classic out-and-back route to the Trig point at Bateman’s Plantations via the High Peak Trail. Conroy, an uphill dynamo, relished the ascent a tad too much and set off fast, but he dug in well to finish 4th overall and 1st V45 in 27:31.

Sandra Kelly travelled to Sedbergh to take on the Howgills Trail Half Marathon. She romped around the grassy fells in 2:30:27, placing 12th overall and 1st FV50. She was particularly pleased to finish unscathed after an injury at the same event last year had sidelined her for some time. Closer to home, Julie Williamson took on the Rivington 10-mile challenge, stopping the clock at 2:14:58.

In the parkrun results, James Scott-Farrington was the first finisher out of 594 participants at Woodhouse Moor in Leeds with a time of 16:59. Comfortably taking the prize for furthest afield were Katherine and Kevin Newall, who tackled the Bay East Garden parkrun in Singapore, starting at 7:30am to escape the intense heat and humidity.

Jeanette Lewis (28:07) took to the Taff Trail at Cardiff parkrun. At Worden, Linda Webb matched Michael Salmon with 25:25, while Oliver Hughes was in close attendance in 25:37. Janet Middleton (32:43) went solo at Lytham Hall, Andrew Crickmore took on the hilly Clitheroe Castle, and Mark Swindell clocked 29:57 at Bolton. At Stretford, Thomas Massey sneaked into the top 10 with a 17:42, while Rob Jackson posted 19:27.

There was a typically strong turnout at Haigh with Richard O’Reilly leading the charge; his 21:07 left him just short of the top 10. Paul Wilcockson (22:38), Tony Hesketh (29:19), Gillian Smith (38:42), and Emma Lucey (31:33) were also in attendance. Finally, training partners Colin Rigby (18:45) and Lindsey Brindle (20:21) used the Alexandra parkrun for their final preparations for the Blackpool Marathon and 3 Peaks Fell Race respectively.