Herculean effort puts Cornish in the running for U20 athlete of the season (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Latest Wimbledon Hercules news - Cornish continues where he left off

8:00am Friday 18th January 2013 in Sport By Tom Pollak

Hercules Wimbledon AC’s newly crowned Oxfordshire champion Jonathan Cornish has continued where he left off.

On a waterlogged Ham Lands course, Cornish was the top U20s finisher in the 2XU Surrey men’s cross country league meeting on Saturday.

His time of 32 minutes, eight seconds, in 67th spot overall, strengthens his chances of taking the league title of top U20 runner.

Kieran White was again the leading Hercules finisher taking 12th place in 29:20 – followed by James Davis (17th, 29:29), Fred Slemeck (21st, 29:39) and Phil Glynn (34th, 30:34).

The team finished fourth on the day to retain fourth spot overall with one meeting left.

Teenagers Cassian Hyde and Tim Livingstone took second and third spots in the men’s U17s 2.5 miles race in 16:07 and 16:29 respectively.

Elliot Laville (19th, 20:58), Fredrik Milesi (21st, 21:36) and Alex Bond (22nd, 21:47) completed the team which finished in runners-up spot.

Alexander Abraham led the Hercules Wimbledon youngsters to third in the U13s, finishing fifth in 21:19 - 20 seconds ahead of club-mate Zac Purnell who was seventh, with Lucas Jeffs eighth in 21:44 and James Forde ninth, six seconds later.

Marathon running mum Claire Grima achieved her highest league placing of the winter when she finished 17th in the third Surrey Ladies League Division One meeting on Mitcham Common.

She clocked 35:38 in beating club-mate Amy Aronson who was 23rd in 36:41, with new signing Emma Henderson, making her league debut, 46th in 38:26, Fran Clarke 55th in 39:25 and walking international Estle Viljoen 69th in 40:48.

The team finished a solid seventh out of 15 and are secure in the top division with one match remaining.

Bella Seymour was 11th in the girls U13 race in 12:11, and Celine Atwell was 26th in the U15 girls race in 19:38.

Sam Oswald was just one second outside his best time for the event when he finished 29th out of more than 300 runners in the Wimbledon Common parkrun on Saturday.

It was his highest placing in eight appearances in the event where he achieved his best time in October.

The 14-year-old also managed to beat his dad, James, who finished 33rd in 21:11, nine seconds slower than his best time in the event. David Gold and David Harris were 37th and 38th in 21:20 and 21:23 respectively.

Charles Hampden-Smith was fifth veteran over-50 in 21:34, while Charles Lawrie was top over-60 finisher in 24:14. Teenager Rebecca Stone was ninth in the women's race in 24:05.

This weekend, Hercules Wimbledon's cross country runners are in action in Richmond Park and at Reigate on Saturday.

The club's senior runners compete in an inter-club cross country match organised by the Bank of England which starts near Roehampton Gate at 2.30pm.

Some of Hercules Wimbledon's younger runners will be competing in the Surrey Schools cross country championships at Reigate, with the first race due off at 10am.

Hercules Wimbledon's track and field training sessions take place at Wimbledon Park athletics stadium on Tuesday and Thursday evenings starting at 6.30pm and Sunday mornings at 10.30am. Further details from coaching coordinator Maurice Sharp on 020 8337 8707.

Hercules Wimbledon Athletic Club hold mid-week road running training sessions for marathon, cross country and road runners from Lauriston Cottage, 6a Southside, Wimbledon Common, at the junction with Lauriston Road, every Wednesday evening from 7pm. Contact Pete Mulholland for more details.