Cross Country: Ty’s the guy for Croydon 10k

4:35pm Thursday 24th October 2002

Nearly 300 runners flocked to Lloyd Park Avenue on Sunday morning for the Croydon Memsab 10km Road Race and Fun Run.

Croydon Harriers' Scottish international Commonwealth Games runner Jonathan McCallum sent the colourful cavalcade on its way.

As the main event headed up Coombe Road, the key competitors began to consolidate their position at the front of the field with three athletes, including Croydon's Stephen Bayliss, beginning to stamp their authority on the race.

On the downhill stretch past the Shirley Windmill, they were extending their lead with Ty Berg (Monington Chasers) piling on the pressure followed by Tarjei Sandness (Norway).

A pursuing group featured Tony Sheppard (Striders) and Croydon Harriers' Scott Anthony and Matthew Hall, at 17 the youngest of the leaders.

Heading up Sandilands, Berg made a positive move to establish a 30m lead with Sandness second and Bayliss a similar distance away.

Berg continued to extend his lead with Bayliss closing in the Park Hill area.

But Berg strode on strongly to win in 33 minutes, with Sandness holding on well for second 49 seconds behind. Croydon's Bayliss had to settle for third in 34:20.

Fourth-placed Anthony (34:56) headed Sheppard by 11 seconds, with Hall closing fast (35:32) to take the junior title.

Women's winner Shona Crombie Hicks, of Mornington, finished eighth overall in 36:10. Second female finisher, South London Harrier Gill O'Connor (37:27), was well-placed in 12th.

Fifteen-year-old Robbie Powell (Croydon Harriers) was second junior, producing a controlled performance to finish 10th overall in 37:04.

The first team of youngsters to complete the 2.5km Jolly Jog was 10-year-old Olivia Rogers, accompanied by her mother Diane.

Josh Alexander was first across the line, heading the Elsworthy team to second place.

Three and a half year-old Sebastian Hill did well to complete the course while three-month-old brother Ben rounded off the event serenely in his push chair, thanks to his father Nick and mother Marcia.

Mohammed Zamman, manager of the sponsoring Memsab restaurant, made the presentations together with Jon McCallum.

The event was jointly promoted by Croydon Harriers and Croydon Cultural Services with the assistance of Croydon Lions and the First Selsdon and Addington Scouts.

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