The annual Molly Barnett meet was held on a day of very difficult weather conditions including at times, a gusting cold wind,

rain and even hail, and on a course which involved a number of turns and a long rise and fall on each lap of 1.25km.

This year Molly Barnett meet was also valid as the 2nd England Athletics 10km Race Walk Championships.

Races took place on Sunday 5th March from the Coventry Athletics Track and hosted by Coventry Godiva Harriers and is also the final race in the England Athletics Winter Race Walking Challenge, combining each athlete’s best indoor performance with their road racer performance from Coventry, across all age groups.

10km women

The women started 2 minutes ahead of the Men. From the start Bethan Davies, adjusting to her return from Australia, took command and walked unchallenged, churning through the 8 laps to record 46:07.

As a Welsh walker she was ineligible for English title which went to second placed Gemma Bridge in only her third 10km. Her time of 47:07 was a PB of 2:24.

Third to finish was Finnish walker Elisa Neuvonen, who is one week into a six weeks block training at Leeds. She too did a PB(47:09).

To add to the international flavour Dr Tatyana Gabellone (ITA) was a second further back in 47:10.

Gemma, Elisa and Tatyana worked hard together to gather in Heather Lewis who had established an early substantial break.

The first three Britons all were inside the 47:30 target set by British Athletics for consideration for the European Cup in Podebrady in May (the 20km standard being 1:39:00).

The two other medal winners in the EA title were Erika Kelly and junior Emily Ghose.

10km men

A brisk start by the three ‘gun’ walkers saw them rewarded with fast results.

Tom Bosworth led all the way to record a comfortable win in 40:20 despite the two red cards received for lifting.

Callum Wilkinson was outside his PB (40:30) but his 40:59 takes him to 2nd on the all-time list for

the U23 age group, behind Commonwealth representative Darrell Stone (40:45). He too suffered two red cards for llifting.

Cameron Corbishley is in form and his PB of 41:26 (previously 43:05) lifts him to 4th on the U23 All-time list, ahead of his coach Dr Andi Drake and behind Ian McCombie former Commonwealth medallist (41:12).

These three were the three EA medal winners. Juniors Chris Snook in 46:37 and Tom Partington in 47:32 were next home.

The results of the other categories in the section Results.

(TAll photos by Mark Easton - GBR)

Full official results in the section Results or download directly from this  link: click here