14-07-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Athletes set a hot pace despite the heatwave at Penrhyn parkrun
A large contingent of quality club runners set a hot pace right from the start over this challenging roller-coaster of a 5k woodland lapped course.
The first seventeen finishers all dipped under the twenty-minute mark, and the first finisher, Rhodri Owen (Meirionnydd RC), celebrated a great run in just 16 minutes and 7 seconds. He led home a clean sweep supported by club colleagues, who packed well, and took the first five finishing positions.
Ricky Challinor finished in second place, with Russell Bentley third in 16.52, Geraint Pugh fourth in 16.53, and Martin Green fifth in 17.39, and there was also a good run by Steffan Sayer (Menai T&F), who finished seventh in 17.42.
Harry Driscoll. (Image: NWRRC)And Meirionnydd RC, in addition to recording the top five places, also had SM20 Harry Driscoll in 11th place in 19.03, and John Davies 12th in 19.18, with a generous number of age category victories thrown into the mix.
The first female finisher was Tilly Edwards (15th) with a new PB in 19.46, followed by Katie Reynolds (Edinburgh University AC), after a close finish (16th) in 19.49, and visitor Imogen Holmes claimed the 3rd spot on her course debut (35th) in 22.24.
In addition, two promising young visitors made excellent debuts at Penrhyn and recorded some amazing times with JM15-17 athlete Kyle Molloy (Cambridge & Coleridge AC) finishing 8th overall in 17.50, and winning his age cat, whilst his Northern Ireland rival Matthew Lamont (Dromore AC), was a very close 9th in 18.04, and he finished second in the same cat.
Twins Karen and Amanda Durber. (Image: NWRRC) Some members of the Conwy on Tour club also enjoyed some good results including: 37th Josh Mottram (Colwyn Bay AC) 3rd SM18 in 22.43; 55th Gareth Southworth (Cybi Striders) and 2nd in his VM55 cat in 23.56; Ian Taylor (Colwyn Bay AC) 64th in 24.11; Barry Palmer (Porth Eirias Runners) 98th in 26.25; 121st Liz Evans (GOG Triathlon), and she was 1st in her VW70 cat in 28.01; whilst twins Karen and Amanda Durber ran together in 153rd and 154th places in 29.43; and John Stallard finished 174th in 31.22.
Geraint Hughes. (Image: NWRRC) And plaudits were given to the landlord of the Albion pub in Conwy, Geraint Hughes, who enjoyed a remarkable run, and he finished 14th overall with a new PB of 19.38, and he was 3rd in his SM30-34 age cat, just four months after taking up running!
North Wales Road Runners had four finishers with Hannah Griffith 93rd and second VW50 in 26.10, with Elizabeth Driscoll 130th in 28.27, and master veteran Don Hale was 140th in 28.59, with fellow master Mike Hayton 172nd in 31.13.
