Youth emerging in Road Runners League

Following this season’s early turmoil within the athletics community, which saw an attempt to change the GAAA Committee through a motion of no confidence, all eyes were on the first race of the Road Runners League.

With the committee having secured its position and new faces coming in to manage athletics, the start of the Road Runners season was to see signs of a new energy coming into the sport.

Initial fears that the rift seen within the sport would keep runners away were soon to disappear as a record number of runners registered to compete in the first of the season’s races.

With 118 runners, new teams such as 5in5, and the emergence of a crop of young Lourdians youth runners now making their way into the senior ranks, Sunday’s race was seen as a positive sign by organisers that they were taking the right route towards developing and promoting the sport further.

There was an emphasis on greater competition throughout the season, with the addition of the Championships and, in particular, the team championships, which now added a new dimension to the Road Runners season.

With a juniors championship also now added, the presence of an emerging crop of young runners was to receive a further boost.

Sunday’s race, which saw an early start to avoid traffic and provide greater safety for runners, was run on what was a chilly, grey day, with rain threatening to dampen the atmosphere.

A short four-kilometre route made for a quick race.

The male category was to see the biggest contest, with Finley Cant and Julian Sheriff setting the pace in what was a Lourdians versus Calpeans rivalry.

It was youngster Finley Cant who was to finish just ahead, with a three-second difference separating him from his closest rival, Julian Sheriff.

Sergi Esquivel, who is known to be more suited to longer distances, was to spring a surprise by finishing third. A look up at the sky, with arms aloft, highlighted his happiness at finishing well in this first league race of the season.

It was in the female category where the emergence of youth runners was to have the greatest impact, as sisters Olivia and Sophie Roberts Patterson were to sweep aside the competition.

The two teenagers, who have already shown their strengths this season in the Youth Triathlon Open, were also to demonstrate their ability, finishing first and second in the women’s category. Olivia finished eleventh overall in the mixed field, while Alex Gordon, another of the emerging Lourdians youth runners, finished 14th overall, just ahead of Sophie, in the Under-16 category.

The GAAA highlighted how this season’s Road Runners League has been aimed at encouraging athletes of all levels, not just elite runners. The increased number of runners, alongside the wider age range, is providing a more balanced level of competition. This was particularly evident among the younger runners, who were given confidence-boosting opportunities from which to develop. Some nine Under-16 runners finished within the overall top 50 on the day.

The GAAA will see runners participating in the Walnut Campaign Fun Run this weekend, which takes place from 10am on Sunday. The 5km fun run starts at the ICC in support of Prostate Cancer Gibraltar.

FEMALE RESULTS

Overall Position/Category/Category Position/Time
1. Olivia Roberts Patterson – Lourdians Running Club – U16G – 1st – 14:40
2. Sophie Roberts Patterson – Lourdians Running Club – U16G – 2nd – 14:59
3. Faye Morse – Carpe Diem Running Club – W50 – 1st – 17:22
4. Nicky Macedo – 5in5 – W40 – 1st – 17:36
5. Olivia Lett – 5in5 – SW – 1st – 17:42
6. Cecilia Bravo Garcia – Lourdians Running Club – U16G – 3rd – 18:23
7. Karyn Barnett – Lourdians Running Club – W40 – 2nd – 18:27
8. Rose Gonzalez – 5in5 – W35 – 1st – 18:38
9. Joanne Deaves – Carpe Diem Running Club – W45 – 1st – 19:29
10. Magdalena Cox – Lourdians Running Club – W35 – 2nd – 19:33
11. Nathalie Wood – 5in5 – W45 – 2nd – 19:42
12. Nicola Oliva – Carpe Diem Running Club – W40 – 3rd – 20:04
13. Serena Lopez – 5in5 – W40 – 4th – 20:07
14. Nadine Vazquez – Lourdians Running Club – W45 – 3rd – 20:18
15. Alicia Dominquez Arcos – Lourdians Running Club – W50 – 2nd – 22:56
16. Rachael Jackson – 5in5 – W35 – 3rd – 24:11
17. Georgina Jackson – 5in5 – SW – 2nd – 24:28
18. Emma Foy – 5in5 – W35 – 4th – 24:51
19. Stephanie McKinnon – 5in5 – W40 – 5th – 25:41
19. Charlotte Ward – 5in5 – W50 – 3rd – 25:41
21. Carol Boddy – Corre Libre – W60 – 1st – 25:42

MALE RESULTS

Overall Position/Category/Category Position/Time
1. Finley Cant – Lourdians Running Club – SM – 1st – 13:09
2. Julian Sheriff – Calpeans Athletics Club – M35 – 1st – 13:12
3. Sergi Esquivel – Lourdians Running Club – SM – 2nd – 13:31
4. Jacob Bloom – Hercules Triathlon Club – SM – 3rd – 13:41
5. Richard Blagg – Calpeans Athletics Club – M35 – 2nd – 14:02
6. Andrew Jeffries Mor – Lourdians Running Club – M35 – 3rd – 14:09
7. Jacek Trojanowski – Lourdians Running Club – M45 – 1st – 14:28
8. Mark Tewkesbury – Calpeans Athletics Club – M35 – 4th – 14:31.14
9. Daniel Gracia Perez – 5in5 – SM – 4th – 14:31.50
10. Elliott Pile – Lourdians Running Club – U16B – 1st – 14:34
11. Erin Barnett – Unattached – SM – 5th – 14:43
12. Andrew Rodriguez – 5in5 – SM – 6th – 14:45
13. Alex Gordon – Lourdians Running Club – U16B – 2nd – 14:51
14. Andrew Yeats – Hercules Triathlon Club – SM – 7th – 14:52
15. Sebastian Galia – Lourdians Running Club – SM – 8th – 14:57
16. Mark Lett – 5in5 – SM – 9th – 14:58
17. Ben Gordon – Lourdians Running Club – U16B – 3rd – 15:03
17. Jason Galton – Hercules Triathlon Club – M45 – 2nd – 15:03
19. Maurice Turnock – Lourdians Running Club – M50 – 1st – 15:09
20. Andrew Zayas – 5in5 – SM – 10th – 15:16
21. Leon Sou – Lourdians Running Club – M35 – 5th – 15:18
22. Lee Corbacho – Lourdians Running Club – M35 – 6th – 15:43
23. Manuel Manso – Unattached – M40 – 1st – 15:47
24. Daniel Benitez – Royal Gibraltar Regiment – M35 – 7th – 15:49
25. Paul Harris – Unattached – M40 – 2nd – 15:51
26. Chris Walker – Hercules Triathlon Club – M60 – 1st – 15:52
27. Guillermo Miguez – Unattached – U18M – 1st – 15:54
28. Aaron Carreras – 5in5 – M40 – 3rd – 15:55
29. Kieth Laguea – Calpeans Athletics Club – M50 – 2nd – 15:56
29. Chris Davis – Unattached – M35 – 8th – 15:56
31. Nicky Balbuena – Royal Gibraltar Regiment – M40 – 4th – 15:57
32. Daniel Caetano – 5in5 – M35 – 9th – 16:05
33. Robert Matto Jr – Hercules Triathlon Club – M50 – 3rd – 16:06
34. Charles Walker – Hercules Triathlon Club – SM – 11th – 16:07
35. Jose Carlos Almabnsa Perez – Unattached – M50 – 4th – 16:12
36. C. Figueras Garcia – Hercules Triathlon Club – U16B – 4th – 16:14
37. Jamie Ford – Lourdians Running Club – U16B – 5th – 16:25
38. Damien Delgado – 5in5 – M45 – 3rd – 16:29
39. Mike Ellis – Hercules Triathlon Club – M55 – 1st – 16:32
40. Itay Avaraham – Lourdians Running Club – U16B – 6th – 16:35
41. Andew Cavilla – Unattached – SM – 12th – 16:41
42. Charles Harrison – 5in5 – M40 – 5th – 16:44
43. Paul Tinker – Royal Gibraltar Regiment – M40 – 6th – 16:51
44. Jonathan Falero – 5in5 – M40 – 7th – 17:13
45. Jeremy Clinton – 5in5 – M55 – 2nd – 17:14
46. Tim Garcia – Hercules Triathlon Club – M40 – 8th – 17:19
47. Jason Costa – 5in5 – SM – 13th – 17:21
48. Kelvin Doody – Calpeans Athletics Club – M35 – 10th – 17:23
49. Ivan Ford – Lourdians Running Club – M45 – 4th – 17:24
50. David Francis – Unattached – M35 – 11th – 17:29