Athletics Bristol & West women scoop silver on national stage

THE stars were aligned for Bristol & West AC's senior women at the English Autumn Road Relays and team manager Sian Davies Parry is optimistic the sky is now the limit.

- Kevin FAHEY

Flynn Jennings, front

The silver medals won by the quartet of Deborah Bruce, Chelsea Creak, Charlotte Taylor and Chelsea Baker ended a 10-year wait to make the podium in this prestigious event.

In that period, the men have dominated the headlines, culminating in their glorious season last winter when they did a remarkable double to win the English ‘National’ Cross Country and 12-Stage Road Relay titles.

Are the women now ready to follow in their footsteps? It is early days but the success on Saturday has certainly given everyone a huge boost ahead of the winter season.

“For the last few years we have strived and hoped to get our best women’s team to the start line for the road relays and on paper this seemed possible,” said Davies.

“However, circumstances would prove otherwise but on Saturday the stars aligned and four of our best, not only made it to the start line but stunned us all with an outstanding silver-medal performance. The men had led the way for the last few years by achieving increasingly impressive results, culminating in a National 12 Stage gold in the spring. They certainly offered inspiration and showed what was achievable.

“Hopefully the women’s National silver medal will be the first of many and they will be encouraged by what they are capable of when they come together.”