BARNSLEY AC stalwarts Dave Bennett and Malcolm Fletcher have been given long service awards from England Athletics.

The award was for more than 40 years of officiating in athletics.

Dave has been involved for 50 years and Malcolm 47.

Dave started running as a youngster and was Barnsley champion.

He started coaching in 1975 and is now as a level four England Athletics marathon coach. He has organised many races including the famous Barnsley six and Barnsley Marathon.

Malcolm was never a runner but got into athletics when his daughter was eight, helping out at the Dorothy Hyman track.

His love of the sport has taken him all over the world and he has officiated at the Olympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.

Meanwhile, there was success for Barnsley AC’s Gail Colville and Wayne Singleton as Redcar Half Marathon hosted the England Masters qualifier for the distance. Gail finished as first over60 woman in 1-34-21 while Wayne was sixth overall and second over45 man with a PB of 1-14-29.

They will represent England at the Swansea Half Marathon in 2026.

Ashley Abrahams (over40 man) and Helen Morgan (over55 woman) finished third in their age categories with times of 1-17-18 (PB) and 1-35-54 respectively.

Barnsley Harriers husband and wife team Jeff and Bev Clark were at Equinox 24 which is a six-mile loop in a relay setting over 24 hours.

The high winds and torrential rain did not hinder the pair who came 14th out of 39. They ran 130km.

Harrier Simon Haywood was once again at the Hardmoors 60.

It is a 63-mile race on the coast from Guisborough to Filey. Simon finished in 15-58-20 for 46th place.

Harriers Gemma Lister, Emma Wright, and Claire Clark took part in the Help for Heroes 10k at Manvers Lake. Gemma and Emma are both couch to 5k graduates from the Harriers programme and gained PBs for the distance.

Barnsley AC’s Dave Allemby finished as first over65 man. His time was 58-39.

At the Humber Coastal 10k in Cleethorpes, Barnsley AC’s Roy Hart was second over70 man in 49-36.

In the half marathon event, under 17 Joe Cox ran his first half marathon in a time of 1-45-53. Penistone’s Peter Beever finished in 1-51-42 to place 20th in the men’s over50 category.

Barnsley AC’s Nathan Doy completed Berlin Marathon in a time of 2-56-42.

Barnsley AC’s Rod Scholes competed at the British Masters Championships in Derby where he finished fifth in over80 men’s 100m with a season’s best 18.08.

He won bronze in the over80 men’s 400m with a season’s best time of 86.04.

In 2025, he is currently ranked first over80 man for 800m and third for 400m.

Penistone Footpath Runners’ Richard Cottam stormed to victory at the Ambry 10k, leading home a strong club contingent in 36-21.

James Mumford also made the podium with a fine run for third place in 38-16, recovering after slipping at the start on the wet underfoot conditions.

At the Tissington Half Marathon, along the old disused railway line through the Derbyshire Dales, Penistone’s Robert Lees came fifth overall in 1-24-24. He also took first place in the men’s over45 category.

Barnsley AC’s Joy Benson ran a PB of 2-07-35 at Tissington.

Braving atrocious conditions in the Peak District, Penistone’s Dan Rushforth completed the gruelling High Peak 40, a 40-mile ultra with over 5,500 feet of ascent.

Battling heavy rain and difficult terrain, he recorded a time of 7-35.