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Eye win is a perfect boost for teenager
Athletics: Teenager Josh Daniels became one of the youngest ever winners of a Peterborough 5k Series race when blasting to victory at Eye.
Athletics: Teenager Josh Daniels became one of the youngest ever winners of a Peterborough 5k Series race when blasting to victory at Eye.The Peterborough Athletic Club member, who turned 18 in March, equalled his personal best of 15.54 to give his confidence a boost ahead of next weekend's European Junior Elite Triathlon Championships in Holland.
But he considered his performance on Wednesday to be much better than when he ran the same time at Derby in April.
He said: "My run at Derby was on one of the fastest courses in the country whereas this course wasn't ideal for good times and it was also very windy."
It certainly proved a good night for triathletes as Andrew Jakeman from Wisbech took second place.
Most of the opening kilometre at Eye was uphill and it was Nene Valley Harrier James Vernau who pushed the pace with Daniels and Jakeman on his shoulder.
But Daniels put in a surge just after 2k and never looked in danger of being caught as he came home with 24 seconds to spare over Jakeman.
Although best known as a triathlete, Daniels' running has improved beyond recognition in the last year and he won a Frostbite League race during the winter.
His last competitive outing, in the Blenheim Triathlon, had seen him drop out halfway through the 10k run as British Triathlon officials had not wanted him to complete the full distance ahead of his big race in Holland.
He had been going well and challenged eventual winner Stuart Hayes, one of the favourites for Olympic gold in 2012, during the first two stages.
He added: "After dropping out in Blenheim it was nice to win this race. I just wanted to get a race where I felt good under my belt and this certainly did the trick.
"It's never nice to pull out of a race, even though it had been pre-planned, so this was a good confidence booster."
Jakeman, who has qualified for the World Sprint Triathlon Championships in Australia in September, ran 30 seconds quicker than when finishing ninth in this race last year.
Vernau comfortably took third ahead of clubmate John Nash while 56 year-old Stan Owen again ran strongly in 13th.
Jamie Forman of Nene Valley, a winner on this course two years ago in 15.41, made a comeback in 18th position.
Stamford Strider Philippa Taylor clinched the women's series as she made it three wins out of three with Nene Valley Harrier Amelia Susulowsky in second.
Although down on the 18.00 she ran at Ferry Meadows seven days earlier, Taylor's consolation was the fact most people were much slower given the undulating course and windy conditions.
The junior 3k came down to a sprint as Jack Moore, winner of the opener and third last time out, just got the better of Nene Valley clubmate Ross Huskisson.
Huskisson just held the advantage coming into the playing fields at Lindisfarne Road but was then outkicked by Moore, who needs one more win to clinch his first 3k series title.
Steph Burton sealed the girls title as she led a Nene Valley domination of the female top five.
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Weather for Peterborough
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
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Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: West
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