Hannah Viner and Richard Goodman prevailed against cold
winds, driving rain and a hilly and muddy Trent Park course to become the
2017/2018 Metropolitan League Champions. Viner took her second successive win,
while Goodman placed second in the men's event, in the final League race of the
season. Both runners were clear winners of the overall title, based on the best
four placings in the five races of the series.
“The conditions were
really tough”, said Viner. “My plan was to just see how the race played out and
go for the win. It started comparatively slowly so I hit the front almost
immediately and a gap grew without my really trying to pick up the pace. I
worked hard up the next few hills and the race was won.” Viner had built up a
42 second lead by the end of the 6 km race.
“I was more relieved than happy to cross the line",
Viner commented, "and I was absolutely chuffed to win the League. It's
always been something I'd wanted to do but I never thought I'd win it so soon!"
Goodman's second place brought an end to a 14-race
Metropolitan League winning streak going back to 2008. Nonetheless, Goodman
achieved his main objective. "It was a must-run race for me in order to
win the title, since I had missed one fixture earlier in the series," he
explained. "Coming at the end of a hard training week, I ran it for the
points, and trying to avoid injury. Peter Huck, of Newham, took the race out
really hard. I tried to close the gap but the mud was a bit too heavy, and so
were my legs. I'm looking forward to the final race of the cross country
season, the National Championships this weekend."
Their title victories each earn Goodman and Viner a cash
prize of £375 plus an additional £200 in sports vouchers.
Roger Bruck, 78, took high jump and long jump gold and 200m
bronze in the Southern Counties Indoor Veterans Championships at Lee Valley.
Bruck’s high jump clearance of 1.21m at his second attempt set a new
championship record. "I was delighted with this season opener by an old
man nearing the end of his age group", Bruck commented wryly.
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