European Masters ‘Non-Stadia’ Athletics Championships 2018:
The 16th annual European Masters Athletics ‘Non-Stadia’ Championships took place from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th May 2018. The event included 10k, half marathon and cross country races.
The prestigious event, which attracted competitors from twenty eight counties was based in the Spanish seaside resort of Alicante and attracted a large number of familiar faces from Northern Ireland, with the local athletes competing for Great Britain & Northern Ireland and Ireland.
The road running and cross country races took place close to the stunning San Juan beach, just outside the town.
On Friday (18th May 2018), with temperatures in the mid twenty’s, North Down AC athlete Terry Eakin was part of the GB & NI M65 team who won silver medals behind hosts Spain. Desmond Michael and John Skelton, both from England, completed the team with Italy taking the bronze.
On Saturday (19th May 2018), Terry bettered his team bronze with a gold medal as part of the winning GB & NI team in the cross country relays, while fellow NI man Paul Smith (NIMAA) picked up a bronze team medal.
The testing course weaved its way through hundreds of palm trees and over several different surfaces. The M65 race consisted of three members per team completing one lap of the 2km course.
Terry Eakin ran the anchor leg for the GB & NI team after Desmond Michael and Michael Mann. This winning combination took 1st place and the associated gold medals in a time of 24:35, exactly two minutes ahead of silver medallists Switzerland.
The M50 race required each athlete to do two laps (4km) to give a total distance of 12km. Donaghadee’s Paul Smith ran the anchor leg after Peter Costley and Kelvin Lowes, both from England. The team were delighted to learn they had secured bronze after the teams from Spain and Germany, who won gold and silver respectively.
Full results from the event are available HERE.
Note: If we have missed any medal winning performances, please contact us at [email protected]
