Leigh Harriers joy (From Leigh Journal)

Leigh Harriers joy

5:21pm Thursday 17th November 2011 in Sport

LEIGH Harriers athlete Louisa Thompson secured the senior women’s Red Rose Cross Country League title at Leverhulme Park, Bolton, on Saturday with her teammates also claiming the second and third places.

Thompson put herself in an unassailable position with one event to go in the four-race series with her third win, having previously succeeded in events at Leigh and Hyndburn.

Leverhulme Park is renowned as a tough uphill climb and lots of mud. Saturday was no exception.

But Thompson established her authority on the race, winning by a convincing margin.

Leigh were also team winners with Laura Riches second, Abigail Howarth third and Elizabeth Lee eighth.

Shannon Johnson led the women’s under 17s team to first place with her second-place finish. Bethany Jones was third, Sabrina Walley fourth and Harriet Knellor 16th. With one meeting to go both teams are in pole position to win the league titles.

Sam Wardle had his best race of the season, sealing third place in the boys’ under 13s race. The Leigh team of Sam, Ethan Jones 12th, Callum Smith 18th and Mathew Lee 36th finished in second place for their best result of the season.

The under 11s boys’ team were led in by Joseph Wane in fourth, Ben McLaughlin 10th, Shea Mellor 20th, Mathew Holiday 23rd, Kyle Jones 26th, Ben Fisher 32nd and Billy Blain 36th, resulting in third place for the team.

Maria McPolin maintained her second place in the series with a fourth-place finish in the under 13s girls’ race.

Katie Hatton 11th, Olivia Stones 12th and Melissa Evans 28th were the third team home.

The senior men’s race, over a 10km course, saw the Harriers finish in fourth Tony Battersby led the team home in 11th.