ATHLETICS: Bishop on high

8:00am Wednesday 12th December 2007

SUPER VET Brian Gardner ran a canny race to secure second place at the Wiltshire Cross Country Championships in Chippenham, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

The 51-year-old Swindon Harrier and Scottish international wisely held back when former clubmate and top British junior David Bishop set a cracking pace from the gun.

"I knew Dave would go off hard and that Dan Woolford, who won the title last year, would probably go with him," said Gardner.

"I thought that if he tried that he would come back to me and that's what happened but the mud helped as well."

Plus a wise head as Gardner, who lives in Calne, reeled in a fading Woolford to grab a safe second although a minute behind Bishop.

"I was pleased with my run and now I have to make a decision whether to run the cross country race at the World Masters Championships in France next year," added Gardner.

"I have won everything up to European level but never a medal at the Worlds and that is something I would like to do."

The women's race was even more successful for the Harriers with junior Yasmin Smith following up her win in the Oxford League seven days earlier with another impressive run.

The 18-year-old from Old Walcot added the Under 20 women's title to her Under 17s success 12 months ago as she finished a fine second overall behind senior winner Sarah Ponsford of Salisbury.

Harriers' clubmate Kate Jacobs finished just a stride behind Smith to pick up a hard-earned silver in the senior event.

"I have been struggling with a cold all week and didn't feel the best but having missed the event last year due to injury I didn't want to miss it again," said Jacobs.

"I enjoyed the course and it was an okay run but Yasmin ran brilliantly again. She is in terrific form."

In the young athletes' races Swindon Harriers' Richard Batsford lifted the Under 17 men's title while James Stanley raced to victory in the Under 15 boys' race.

Nyle Clinton was runner-up in the Under 13 boys' race and Hardenhuish schoolgirl Loren Bleaken was an impressive winner of the Under 13 girls' event.

RESULTS Senior men: 1 David Bishop (B&W) 35:25; 2 Brian Gardner (Swin, M50) 36:27; 3 Hadju Vojtech (AVR, M40) 38:09.

Under 20s: 1 Dan Woolford (W&B) 36:44; 2 Thomas Woodhouse (Sals) 39:13; 3 Dan Pidgeon (Swin) 39:54.

Under 17s: 1 Richard Batsford (Swin) 19:02; 2 Tom Beer (W&B) 19:34; 3 Hugo De Brett (Sals) 20:01.

Under 15 boys: 1 James Stanley (Swin); 2 Jordan Bayliss (Hardenhuish School, Chipp); 3 Alexandra Hill (KES, Bath).

Under 13 boys: 1 Alex Carter (W&B); 2 Nyle Clinton (Swin); 3 Matt Raymond (Ridgeway Sch).

Senior women: 1 Sarah Ponsford (IIF Gp, Salisbury) 20:38; 2 Kate Jacobs (Swin) 21:49; 3 Zina Marchant (TBAC, M55) 23:40.

Under 20s: 1 Yasmin Smith (Swin) 20:48; 2 Rosy Cooper (AFD) 22:35; 3 Natalie Burke (W&B) 25:16.

Under 17s: 1 Alice Murray-Gourlay (W&B) 19:32; 2 Mitzi Barber (AVR) 21:05; 3 Katie Sandford (W&B) 21:41.

Under 15 girls: 1 Imogen Wolsey (South Wilts) 12:49; 2 Alex Stainthorpe (TBAC) 13:17; 3 Colette Cambridge (TBAC) 13:24.

Under 13 girls: 1 Loren Bleaken (Hardenhuish Sch) 9:42; 2 Annie Ingram (W&B) 9:50; 3 Elsabeth Clifford (Sals) 10:06.