ATHLETICS: HURDLER Craig France struck gold again last weekend.
The Ellesmere Port teenager was crowned AAA under-17 champion for the 100m hurdles on Sunday.
Craig, a former West Cheshire AC member who now represents Liverpool Harriers, posted a time of 13.16 seconds at Sheffield's Don Valley Stadium to continue his memorable track campaign.
The Whitby High School pupil clinched the English Schools' sprint hurdles title at the same venue last month, and followed that achievement with success for England in a Home International Schools' match in Cardiff, and by winning the Celtic Games title in Belfast.
Craig is now preparing to continue his hectic summer schedule with an appearance in the Scottish Championships this weekend, followed by trips to the Young Athletes League Final and Junior League Final for his club.
His neighbour Nicola Gore has received her first call-up for the North of England squad.
Nicola, who celebrates her 19th birthday in November, will represent the North in an Under 20 regional track and field match at Watford, on August 31.
The talented West Cheshire AC thrower is lining up an appearance in the discus after hitting a best mark in the event earlier this year of 33.37m at the North of England AA Junior Championships at Wavertree, Liverpool.
Nicola, who picked up a bronze medal with a best distance of 10.30m in this year's Northern Indoor Shot Put Championships at SportCity, Manchester, and finished seventh in the shot at this year's English Schools' Championships, has a personal-best shot performance of 11.29m, achieved in the National Junior League at Trafford earlier this year.
Nicola warmed up for her North debut by celebrating a hat-trick of throws successes for Cheshire Tigers AC in the final round of the National Junior League at Wigan on Sunday.
She hit 29.97m in the hammer, had a best shot of 10.43m and spun the discus to 33.36m, within a centimetre of her personal best.
West Cheshire AC team-mate Laura Bestow rounded the 1,500m for victory in a time of 4mins 54.1sec, and Gemma Livesley grabbed first spot in the B string with a time of 5.34.4.
Cheshire Tigers AC's ladies, consisting of representatives from West Cheshire AC, Vale Royal AC, Crewe and Nantwich AC and Halton and Frodsham AC, clinched second place on the day and second place behind Wigan AC overall.
Leanne Henning, Michelle Robbins, Heather Robbins, Siobhan Tarbuck and Amanda Scott secured other vital points to cement runners-up position for the Tigers.
Match result: 1 Wigan AC 233 points; 2 Cheshire Tigers AC 178; 3 Macclesfield 116; 4 Liverpool Pembroke Sefton 108; 5 Warrington 107; 6 Wirral 101; 7 Southport Waterloo 98.
After four rounds: 1 Wigan AC 920; 2 Cheshire Tigers AC 749.5; 3 Liverpool Pembroke Sefton 564; 4 Wirral 482; 5 Warrington 440; 6 South-port Waterloo 338; 7 Macclesfield 286.
* The Tigers' depleted men's squad provided a series of fine performances. Thomas Stringer, from Vale Royal AC, celebrated victory in the 400m hurdles with a time of 60.5 seconds, just half a second outside his personal best.
Vale Royal AC team-mate, Stephen Butterfield, clinched second spot in the 100m with a time of 11.8 seconds.
West Cheshire AC's Paul Bateson smashed his long-jump best with 5.79m for third position, after clearing 1-70m in the high jump, and then followed up with a triple jump of 11.34m.
Andrew Gore grabbed victory in his B 400m hurdles with a time of 65.1secs, and was second in pole vault (2-40m) and triple jump (10.98m).
Nick Clay battled hard for points in both the 100m and 200m, and Mike Woodall scored good points from three events.
Result: 1 Trafford AC 276 points; 2 Southport Waterloo 219; 3 Liverpool Pembroke Sefton 197; 4 Wirral 182; 5 Warrington 170; 6 Cheshire 146; 7 Macclesfield 0.
After four rounds: 1 Trafford 1,110; 2 Liverpool Pembroke Sefton 878; 3 Warrington 832; 4 Southport Waterloo 707; 5 Wirral 605.5; 6 Macclesfield 302; 7 Cheshire 516; 8 Wigan 252.
* Mary Radford, of West Cheshire AC, has clinched a silver medal at the World Masters Athletics Championships.
She was a member of the over-55 Great Britain cross-country team in Puerto Rico.
For all the latest Cheshire athletics news and to view the latest Cheshire Athletics Association Newsletter, log on to: www.cheshireaa.com
* Anyone looking to prepare for the remainder of the track and field season is welcome to attend training at West Cheshire AC. Contact Dennis Wall on (0151) 201 1254 for details.
* Fixtures this week include the Deeside AAC Track and Field Grand Prix event at Deeside Stadium, Connah's Quay, tonight (7pm start).
* In the Chariots of Fire 5k road race at Oswestry, Dave Ratcliffe, of Tattenhall Runners, was 40th in 19.13 (second male vet 55) and Tessa Swaine 116th in 25.11. Ratcliffe was also second male vet 55 in the pentarathon series.
At the Craig-y-Rhiw hill run over five miles with 1,000 feet of ascent, Ratcliffe clocked 36.28 for the first male vet 55 award.
* Graham Jenkins led the West Cheshire runners home in the Birchwood 10k race, incorporating the Cheshire 10k Championships, on Sunday in 35.20.
The men's event was won by Paul Howarth, of Wirral AC, in 31.17 and clubmate Helen Lawrence took the ladies' title in 34.02.
* Entries are still being accepted for West Cheshire AC's Sutton Six 10k Road Race, at Guilden Sutton, Chester, on Sunday, September 21, (11am start). Further details from Richard Batterham, Ranelagh, School Lane, Guilden Sutton, Chester CH3 7ET.
