SEVERAL Bury AC athletes put on strong showings representing Greater Manchester at the Inter Counties Cross Country Championships in Loughborough on Saturday.

First to race was Rachel Marshall, who was the county’s third scorer in the senior women’s race, placing 182nd in a time of 38mins 56secs for the 8k course.

Sam Smyth was Bury’s next competitor and he had a brilliant race in the under-17 men’s race over 6k. He was the third counter for the county in 95th place in 24:59.

Next to go was Caitlyn Johnston in the u20 women’s 6k race. Johnston has been running into excellent form and was Greater Manchester’s fourth counter, crossing the line in 98th in 32:34.

Chloe Ardin had a great run to take 73rd in the u15 girls’ race over 4k. She crossed the line in 17:17 and was fifth-placed in the county team.

Last to race was Josh Cole, representing his home county of Dorset. He was first counter for his team in 122nd place, a superb run given the quality of the field. He covered the 10k course in 37:23.

Two of Bury’s other selected athletes could not make the journey. Hannah Lucas was committed to a family event, while Emily Purdy is recovering from injury.

On the Saturday evening five Bury athletes ran at the competitive Podium 5k races at Barrowford.

Ben Coop was disappointed with his 16:02 performance in the A race, which was only good enough for 48th place, but Jack Griffiths was happier with his 16:21 in the B race, giving him 38th place.

Luke Harreld’s 16:51 secured him 46th place, while Matthew Garside was equally pleased with his 17:05 performance in the C race, crossing the line in 31st place.

Conor Wilkinson was seven places behind him in an excellent 17:19, his second fastest time over the distance.

On Sunday, seven Bury athletes performed well at the Manchester Indoor Meeting at SportCity. There were personal-best performances over 60m for Harvey Rossington-Rose and Jemima Miles clocking 7.92 and 8.69 to take fourth place in their respective races.

Rossington-Rose set another lifetime best of 40.72 to win the 300m, edging Joshua Kantor into second. Kantor also set a new PB of 40.94.

Blessing Idoko took third in her 300m race in a new best of 44.40 and Miles returned to the track to win her 60m hurdles race in a new PB of 9.94.

Natan Witkowski set a season’s best of 9.68 to take third in his hurdles race and Nicole Palmer took fifth in her race with 10.83.

Young Oliver Cooper won the u13 high jump (1.30) and the long jump (3.80), while Palmer also won her long jump competition with a new PB of 4.56.

Witkowski placed sixth in his long jump competition with a season’s best 5.99. Miles took third in the shot with a season’s best putt of 8.17.

Some of the club’s younger athletes competed at the East Cheshire Harriers Cross Country meeting where Lucy Dent took a bronze medal in the u11 girls’ race, with Ella Straffon-Finch also running well.

Ethan Statham took fourth in the u 9 boys’ race, but this was after he had been pushed by another young athlete, foul play that the official chose to overlook and which cost young Statham a medal.

Sammy McBride-Durden also ran in the u9s race and Sophie Straffon-Finch and Ruby Dent were Bury’s representatives in the u9 girls’ race.

Ben Coop was back on the roads on Sunday, this time running in the Trimpell 20-mile event in Lancaster. He was moving well to the 14-mile mark and then described feeling shocking as he eventually crossed the line in 1:57.20.