Bury’s young athletes were the star performers at the first South East Lancs Cross Country League fixture of the season at Heaton Park on Saturday.

The standout performance came from Lucy Dent in the under-15 girls’ race where she romped home 20 seconds clear of the runner-up for a much-deserved victory. With Lydia Worsley (10th) and Coco-Lily Honor (12th) the trio took second team. The U11 girls took first team place by a 10-point margin. Isla Taylor took an excellent second place with Niamh Murray (fifth) and Mylah Collier (seventh) the scoring athletes. There were top-20 placings for Myla Bryan (eighth), Nina Boodhan (16th) and Sophie Straffon-Finch (ninth) with six other Bury youngsters racing. Team manager Louise Dent was delighted to see so many Bury vests in the race.

The U11 boys took second team in a close battle with East Cheshire. Max Worsley ran strongly for second place, supported by Isaac Cullen, in seventh, and James Tallentire (ninth). Rocco Hunter (12th) and Scott Cullen (19th) ran well, as did Hamish Simpson, in 21st, and Harry Sample, in 27th. The U13 girls also took second team place. Kathryn Wolstenholme took eighth, just ahead of Heidi Wilkinson, in ninth, with Ella Straffon-Finch third counter in 11th. Daniel Taylor was the club’s sole representative in the U15 boys’ race, taking eighth. Luke Drinnan was also the only Bury athlete in the U17 men’s race, placing eighth.

In the senior category, Rob Fowler ran very strongly to place seventh in the men’s race with Anthony Hallahan in 30th. Afroditi Kalambouka took 46th in the women’s race.

The previous weekend saw the first of the Greater Manchester Sports Hall Athletics meetings for young athletes. The U11 girls performed brilliantly, taking first team. The scoring athletes included Mylah Collier, who won the three-lap race, took second in the standing triple jump and third in the one lap race; Niamh Murray, who took third in the speed bounce; Violette Overlunde, who won the vertical jump and took second in the one-lap race and Honey-May Long who took second in the javelin. The team also won the obstacle relay and were second in the four x two-lap relay. Team manager Helen Vaughan was delighted to have nine athletes competing in the age group. The four U11 boys took sixth place. The standout performer was Ronan Parker who won the three-lap race and took joint second in the one-lap race.

The three U13 girls performed well to take fifth place. Matilda Nott took second in the four-lap race and the standing long jump and third in the two-lap race. Nancy Blain placed second in the six-lap race with Claudia Chapman taking fourth. Bury’s two U15 girls’ competitors took sixth place. Laila Musvamhiri took third in the two-lap race and the vertical jump. Summer Barlow took third in the speed bounce.

That weekend also saw 18 Bury athletes compete in the Manchester Half Marathon with eight of them recording new personal bests and others making their debut over the distance. Christan Peters was first home in an excellent 50th place with 1hr 11mins 17secs (PB). Abigail Warburton was 18th woman with 1:20:43 (PB) and Alia Braithwaite was 29th in 1:23:45 (PB). The club’s other finishers were Callum Gaunt (1:15:12 PB), Jack Passey (1:17:13 PB), Patrick Babb (1:18:10 PB), Byron Edwards (1:19:05), Rob Weston (1:21:50), Craig Sykes (1:21:59), Paul Marshall (1:22:03), Oliver Kirkby (1:26:08); Matthew Finch (1:32:18 PB), Sarah Flett (1:35:18), Alex Leach (1:37:33), Luke Matthews (1:37:59), Chad Tailor (1:49:39), Matthew Nolan (2:04:06) and Rebecca Chambers-Nolan (2:04:06).