Bristol scoop second place at Students Championships

Athletics round-up: Great Britain international Claire Hallissey led University of Bristol to their best team result as they finished second in the British Students Cross Country Championships at Stirling University.

Getting sharper with every race, the Bristol & West AC runner followed up her second place at the Midlands the previous week with a hard-earned individual bronze, behind Olympic 1,500m runner Steph Twell and Steve Stockton.

With club-mate Imogen Ainsworth eighth and Georgie Bruinvels ninth, the university squad made the podium in the tightest of finishes.

Team manager Keith Brackstone said: "Loughborough won it with 14 points and we finished on 20 points with St Mary's College, from London. But we got the team silvers by virtue of countback, as our last finisher was ninth and theirs was 15th.

"It was a brilliant performance by the girls and I believe it is the first time in their history that the university have won a team medal."

Avon's youngsters enjoyed a superb day at the Aviva South West Sportshall Championships in Torbay, as they won three of the four age-group events.

Both the Under-13 boys' and girls' squads took top spot to book their place in the UK finals in April.

There was also victory for the Under-15 boys' squad, while the Under-15 girls' missed out by just four points, though they may yet get a wild card to the national finals.

"It was an unbelievable day," said Dave Turner, who, along with Hilary Nash and Sue Jones, was in charge of the teams.

Team-wise, the Under-13 boys had a perfect day as they won every event to finish 226 points clear of the field. Individually, Backwell School's Rosie Parsons impressed to pick up the Under-15 girls' all-rounder trophy.

"Rosie came first in the four-lap run, second in the speed bounce and sixth in the vertical jump," said Nash.

James Laurence, who was the athlete of the match at the Avon Championships, was third in the Under-15 boys' all-rounder, and there were also superb efforts by Dean Taylor, Matthew Mattis, Sophie Thomas, Anicia Skeates and Josh Allen.

Aviva South West Sportshall Championships in Torbay – Under 15 boys: 1 Avon 657; 2 Devon 517; 3 Gloucestershire 462.

Avon highlights: 4-lap: 1 Josh Evans 42.9secs; 2-lap: 3 Josh Hook 21.7; STJ: 2 Hook 7.90m; 2-lap: 1 James Lawrence 21.0secs; STJ: 3 Laurence 7.52; SB: 1 Luke Lorenzi 83; SLJ: 3 Ben Matthews 2.47m.

Under-15 girls: 1 Dorset 624; 2 Avon 620; 3 Cornwall 547.

Avon highlights: VJ: 1 Rebecca Abbott 59cms; 4-lap: 1 Rosie Parsons 48.9secs; Speed bounce: 1 Emma Smith 85.

Under-13 boys: 1 Avon 787; 2 Somerset 561; 3 Devon 481.

Avon highlights: STJ: 1 Thomas Davison 7.06; 2-lap: 1 Matthew Mattis 2.16; HJ: 1 Mattis 1.50; 4-lap: 1 dean Taylor 45.5; SLJ: 1 Taylor 2.51; 6-lap: 1 Matthew Chapman 1:14.1; VJ: 1 Marcus Hook 58; SP: 1 Josh Caulfield 11.34; SB: 1 Kierena Manning 80.

Under-13 girls: 1 Avon 660; 2 Devon 582; 3 Gloucestershire 537.

Avon highlights: 2-lap: 1 Sophie Thomas 22.7; SB: 1 Thomas 84; HJ: 1 Anicia Skeates 1.50; 6-lap; Katie Grinyer 1:19.6; HJ: 2 Yemma Songu 1.35; STJ: 2 Nike Fleming 6.46; SLJ: 2 Alexandra Alden 2.06; SP: 3 Georgia O'Sullivan 7.73.

Westbury Harriers' Felix McGrath won the fourth and final Gloucestershire League cross-country race.

The undulating course at Cheltenham's Pitville Park was to McGrath's liking. He settled in with the leading group on the first lap and moved clear at the water jump.

In the senior men's race, Great Western Runners' Ben Morley had a solid run to finish third.

Matt Newman led home a big Clevedon AC squad, which finished second team to Cheltenham, in eighth.

Just behind in ninth was Westbury Harriers' Gregg Halliwell, who was top junior.

North Somerset AC's Cameron Coetzee was also a winner in the Under-15 boys' race, while club-mate Ellie Wallace beat Westbury's Alana Sherman for the Under-11s title.

The Westbury squad of Lauren Ellis, Iris McNeill and Abigail Johnston won the Under-15 girls' team contest.

In the senior women's race, Hannah Alderson finished third in her first race of 2010, following a period of injury.

Former junior international Tom Russell smashed his personal best to finish third in a high-quality Alsager five-mile road race.

The Bristol & West AC runner clocked an impressive 23mins 43secs, over a minute off his previous best, set in Weston five years ago when still a teenager.

He finished close behind British internationals Nick McCormick and Chris Davies.

Club-mate and international duathlete Phil Wylie, who took a break from racing and training over Christmas, ran a PB of 24:44 in 20th place from a field of 610 finishers.

Westbury Harriers' Emma D'Alton set a new course record of 81mins 58secs to win the 18th Blackmore Vale half marathon, in Sherborne.

Club-mate John Terry was the top local man, in 12th, from a field of more than 600 runners.

There was also victory for club-mate Debbie Marsden in the shorter 5.8-mile event, beating all the men as well.

Bristol & West AC's Tom Merson retained his Great West Fulford five-mile road race title in a time of 25mins 11secs, 16 seconds quicker than last year.

Bristol & West AC's Jenny Jagger was top woman in the Longleat 10k road race, with club-mate Phil Parry runner-up and top veteran in the men's race.

Yate & District AC sprinter Jamie Brock equalled his season's best of 7.14secs to finish eighth in the semi- final of the 60m at the Birmingham Games.

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