Park’s now beating them on the track
Last updated 19:45, Thursday, 29 May 2008
FELL and cross-country teenage running sensation Laura Park is now leaving opponents for dead on the track.
On Saturday she won the Northern Track and Field Championships’ U17 3,000m by a huge margin.
The Dearham 16-year-old crossed the line in nine minutes 41 seconds - taking five seconds off the championship record - while her nearest rival was still in the back straight.
From the gun at Robins Stadium, Wigan, Park tested the strength of her competitors for a lap before deciding to take the pace on herself. She increased speed lap by lap and eventually ended up taking gold by a margin of 120m.
A few weeks earlier Park, of Ellenborough AC, competed in the Young Athletes National League for Team North Cumbria at Carlisle again in the 3000m and won in 9.40.4 which not only gave her a new pb by over six seconds but also broke the National Young Athletes League record by a similar margin which had stood for some considerable time.
Park currently heads the UK rankings for 3000m the next athlete being 13 seconds behind her.
Park also competed in the the Moorclose 10km last week and came third overall and first lady beating respected international athlete Rebbeca Robinson from Kendal AC who was fourth overall.
Park clocked 34.09 which puts her at the top of the UK U17 rankings and place 11th overall at senior level.
Her next major race will be the prestigeous Blaydon road race in Newcastle on June 9 where she will be competing against some good foreign runners amoungst the 4,000 entrants.
The Moorclose 10 was won by Ricky Lightfoot, of Ellenborough AC, in 32.26. Border Harriers’ George Thompson was second in 33.36. Chris Knowles, of Cumberland Fell Runners, was first vet in 35.35 and first junior was Blain Rooney, of Border Harriers in 37.08.
The Moorclose 10 is organised by Cumberland AC which meets each Tuesday at The Oval, Salterbeck, Workington, at 6.30pm and at Copeland Stadium on Thursdays at 6.30pm. Runners of all abilities would be welcomed.
