Belles’ medal streak continues with gold AND bronze at Priory relays
l-r: Olivia Papaioannou, Jurgita Levertaviciute, Patricia Walker, Charlie Dickinson, Sam Amend, Lea Adamson, Natalie Beadle.
Two Belgrave women's teams made the trip to Reigate to compete in what has become one of their favourite events of the cross-country season.
A good testing 4km course against the backdrop of beautiful autumnal trees, excellent and friendly organisation by the home club Reigate Priory, and since returning to the venue in 2014, a consistent record of success.
Olivia Papaioannou and Natalie Beadle gave the two Belles teams the best possible start. It’s not easy to judge the pace on the first leg with the women and men starting together but both runners played it perfectly. Liv headed the women's race by 15 seconds and Natalie was less than 40 seconds behind in 6th but in touch with the other teams.
It was a lead that the A-team never relinquished and Samantha Amend, just two weeks after her epic 24-hour race, showed superb strength and resilience to maintain the lead and run the sixth fastest leg of the afternoon. In her first race for Belgrave, new member Patricia Walker illustrated our strength in depth by passing four teams and bringing the B-team up to second place with the second fastest leg of anyone on the day.
The A-team had another talented new member, Lea Adamson, on the final leg who despite being isolated, ran a time equal to Liv's, the third fastest of the day, to bring the team home a minute and a half clear in first place. It was so good to see Jurgita Levertaviciute back running for the team after three years concentrating on the track. Although she ran strongly, she was eventually caught by the Guildford athlete who posted the fastest leg of the day, but brought the team home in a comfortable third place.
Teams
1. Belgrave 'A' 48:52, (L. Papaioannou 16:10, S. Amend 16:32, L. Adamson 16:10), 2. Guildford and Godalming 50:26, 3. Belgrave 'B' 50:41, (N. Beadle 16:49, P. Walker 16:04, J. Levertaviciute 17:53).
Belles record at the Priory from 2014
The women have had a remarkable run of success in this event since returning to the race in 2014:
2014; 1st, 51;12, Rose, Catherine, Keri.
2015; 1st, 51:43, Lizzie, Jojo, Zoe S.
2016; 1st, 48:19, Sam, Beccy, Zoe S.
2017; 2nd, 49:26, Saron, Katie, Sam.
2018; 1st, 47:55, Keri, Sam, Saron (15:03, 14th fastest of the day including all the men).
2019; 2nd, 52:49, Georgie, Camilla, Mhairi.
2021; 1st, 48:51, Liv, Sam, Lea, and 3rd, Natalie, Patricia, Jurgita.