Craig McMeechan stars as NI & Ulster team compete at UK Inter-Counties XC Championships!

Northern Ireland & Ulster team battle through the mud at UK Inter-Counties XC Championships 2018:

Current Northern Ireland & Ulster Intermediate XC Champion Craig McMeechan (North Down AC / Francis Marsh) starred as a team of eight Northern Ireland & Ulster athletes battled through the mud at the UK Inter-Counties XC Championships at Prestwold Hall, Loughborough (Saturday 10th March 2018).

The event also incorporated the final round of the British Athletics Cross Challenge and saw the local athletes compete against the counties and districts of England, Scotland and Wales.

Young North Down AC star Craig once again excelled over the country – racing in a closely contested Junior Men’s 8k race, he claimed 5th place in 30:35; this was a just seventeen seconds off a podium place.  Fellow NI men Peter Gracey (Beechmount Harriers / Mark Kirk) and Tony McCambridge (St Malachy’s AC / Joe McAlister) also performed well, with Peter crossing the line in 33:08 for 51st place and Tony recording 33:47 for 66th place.  The race was won by England’s Tom Mortimer in 29:49 (1st place).

In the showcase Senior Men’s and Women’s events, Neil Johnston (Mark Kirk), Katie Moore (North Down AC / Francis Marsh) and recently crowned NI & Ulster Senior XC Champion, Rebekah Nixon (Dromore AC / Luke Osborne) were all in action.

Neil finished in 51st place in the stacked men’s 12k, clocking 46:53 for the distance – the race was won by England’s Mahamed Mahamed in 42:23 (1st place)

In the ladies 8k, recently crowned NI & Ulster Senior XC Champion Rebekah led by example, taking 28th place in 36:02, with Katie following just over two minutes later in 38:17 (86th place). The race was won by England’s National XC Champion Phoebe Law in 32:51 (1st place).

In the Under 17 women’s 5k race, NI & Ulster Intermediate XC Champion Rebecca Wallace (Lagan Valley AC / Eamonn Christie) crossed the line in 25:34 for 79th place – the race was won by Grace Brock (England) in 21:57 (1st place).

David Carey (Inishowen AC / Ronan Whoriskey) secured 86th place in the Under 17 Men’s 6k, running 23:23 – the race was won by Rory Leonard (England) in 20:34 (1st place).

Full results for the event are available HERE.

Note:  Article compiled for use by Athletics NI.

facebook
twitter
instagram