‘Galloping glory hunters’ claim a county cross country gold medal with a team including the recipient of a new hip and a recent heart attack victim!

Six Peterborough & Nene Valley AC stars won team gold in the Eastern Counties Cross Country Championships.
Eastern Counties Cross Country champions, from left, Paul Parkin, Simon Fell, Luke Brown, Steve Hall, Dan Lewis and Alex Gibb.Eastern Counties Cross Country champions, from left, Paul Parkin, Simon Fell, Luke Brown, Steve Hall, Dan Lewis and Alex Gibb.
Eastern Counties Cross Country champions, from left, Paul Parkin, Simon Fell, Luke Brown, Steve Hall, Dan Lewis and Alex Gibb.

The competition was staged at Horseheath in South Cambridgeshire, and the galloping glory hunters provided the club with their first cross country title since its formation two years ago following the amalgamation of Peterborough AC and Nene Valley Harriers.

The team was a blend of thoroughbreds and walking wounded.

Thoroughbred Alex Gibb led the charge finishing third on an undulating 12km course which contained the occasional water hazard.

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Dan Lewis and Luke Brown came in just three seconds apart in seventh and eighth positions.

Simon Fell was the next PANVAC athlete home in 20th and Paul Parkin and Steve Hall completed the winning team placing 26th and 28th respectively.

The bling won by the athletes was not restricted to team medals. In addition to Alex Gibb’s third place prize there were age group silvers for Dan Lewis and Steve Hall, with Paul Parkin picking up over 55 bronze.

Making reference to his hip replacement operation and a heart scare for Parkin, team captain Hall said: “I don’t think any of us thought we could pull this one off with a team consisting of a guy who not long ago had a heart attack and another with a false hip who is now recovering from a stress fracture!

“However this proves you have to be in it to win it, and all six of us played our part.”

Simon Fell’s son Noah ran in the under 15s race placing 16th.

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