Claire and Dan were gold-en oldies at British Masters National Championship event
A week after captaining the Peterborough & Nene Valley AC Masters team to victory at the Eastern Championships, Claire Smith picked up individual British Masters gold and silver medals in the National Championship at Derby.
Smith won the over 45 400m on Saturday in a time of 63.54 to add to the gold which she picked up in the over 40 event in 2021. She returned to the track on Sunday where she clocked 27.17 for her 200m silver.
Julian Smith, Claire’s husband, added to the family medal collection by winning over 55 400m bronze with a time of 57.51. He almost medalled in the 200m, but missed out by an agonising 100th of a second in a photo finish. His time of 25.42 proved to be of some consolation as it was his fastest for six years.
Dan Lewis won PANVAC a 2nd gold when he won the over 45 3,000m Steeplechase title. Lewis ran a time of 10:37.22, and it was his 2nd major championship win of 2025 as he also won the RAF Steeplechase championship.
Several other PANVAC athletes were in action with over 70s John Spriggs and Kevin Bates both winning silver medals. Bates threw a 10.61m shot for his medal while Spriggs earned his with a 7.84m triple jump. Spriggs has quite a collection of medals, having won triple jump gold in 2023 and silver in 2024. He narrowly missed out on a long jump medal with a 4th place finish.
Tim Needham had to settle for a 6th place finish in the over 70 hammer, as did Dave Brown in the over 45 800m.
Yaxley’s Kerry Goymour impressed at her first national championship clocking 65.57 for 5th place in the over 40 400m.
ROUND-UP
Brian Corleys, Miguel Cann and Zoe Roan all put themselves in with a great chance of England selection after impressing at the Worcester Half Marathon.
In a qualifying race for the England Masters team, Bushfield Jogger Corleys made his selection a near certainty finishing as first over 50 in a time of 1:12.28. Roan clocked 1:37.01 finishing as 3rd over 55, while Cann was 3rd over 60 in a time of 1:23.48.
PANVAC’s Ollie Mason travelled to London and finished 8th in the over 40 10,000m championship staged at Battersea Park. Mason clocked a time of 38:50.7.
PANVAC pole vaulter Angus Bowling cleared the bar at a height of 4.40m to finish first at the Norwich End of Season meeting.