Marathon trip for Harrier Newton

Chris Newton: swopping wheels for feet on Sunday

MARATHON:

OLYMPIC medal winner Chris Newton has swapped two wheels for running shoes as he lines up in Sunday’s Virgin London Marathon.

The 37 year old, who lives in Chadderton, is among several Oldham and Royton Harriers members preparing to pound the streets of the capital.

For Newton, who claimed bronze in the points race at the Beijing Games in 2008, it is his debut over the punishing 26 miles 385 yards trip.

It is a far cry from the velodrome, but Harriers coach Pete Williams, who is also taking part in the race, reckons Newton has the right pedigree to do well.

He said: “Chris is the quickest in our group and is looking for a time under three hours.

“He is a professional athlete and he knows how to prepare for big events. Lance Armstrong, a multiple winner of the Tour de France, was also a very good marathon runner.

“Chris has been with us five or six months. I coach a good friend of his and one day he came along with his wife to have a go.”

Now retired from race-riding, Newton, who also won Olympic medals in Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004) warmed up for Sunday with a great finish in the Vera Hirst 5k in Littleborough.

Clocking a time of 16 minutes 40 seconds to claim fifth spot, he was closely followed by Mike Mannings, who recorded 16:59 for sixth place on the day.

Dominic Kennerley finished the 5k in a new personal best of 18:32, while Owen Flage recorded 18:41, Lee O’Brien 20:33, Pete Williams 21:24, Darren Mannings 21:37, Derek Atherton 22:09, Alistair Mallen 23:42, Sara Bott 24:28, Paula Lashley 25:04, Helen Atherton 25:17 and Angela Kerslake 28:14.

Also running in the London Marathon this weekend are Harriers members Dominic Kennerley, Maggie Elliott, Paula Lashley, David Elliott and Paul Taylor.

On the track, young sprinter Danielle Parrott got off to a flying start in the new outdoor track

season with two excellent performances at the City of Stoke Open meeting.

In the 100m, she easily won her heat and finished fourth of 16 overall, lowering her previous PB by more than half a second with a time of 13.4. Later in the day Parrott finished an excellent sixth in only her second outdoor 200m race, recording a PB of 28.5secs.