Ancuta Bobocel & Katrina Wootton (May 2018)
Chemtai Lonah Salpeter, the Kenyan born runner, competing for Israel was the clear favourite for the women’s ‘A’ race
in the Europa Cup in London but, it was not till the last couple of laps it became evident Salpeter would win. Ancuta Bobocel
was still within striking distance and had a long lead on the rest of a large group, which included the third home Charlotte
Arter (GBR). All of those did personal best times.
Salpeter’s time was 31:33.03 and Bobcel’s time 31:43.12. Following in good times, all doing personal bests were 3
Charlotte Arter (GBR) 32;15.71; 4 Katarzyna Rutkowska (Poland) 32:31:40; 5 Phillip Bowden (GBR) 32:33.10; 6 Sophie Duarte
(France) 32:34.07; 7 Louise Small (GBR) 32:34.73 and 8 Stevie Stockton (GBR) 32:35.26. All those did personal best times.
Ancuta Bobcel of Romania (Born 3rd of October 1987)
“I was pleased to beat my best time of 32:18. The steeplechase was my favourite event but now, after my 1hr 10min half
marathon in the World Championships I turned to the 10k, which I want to do in the European Championships this year in
Berlin. I did 25 days of preparation in Colorado so; I came here to Parliament Hill feeling good.’
Now comes the surprise for the elegant looking runner
‘At 14 I started throwing the hammer for 4 years but, my physique was not created for the hammer’
‘I took up the steeplechase and ran in the last three Olympic Games. I am trying to prepare for doing the marathon in the
next Olympic Games in Tokyo.’
Amongst her many good results. She was 2nd in the World Junior Steeplechase in 2004/2006. In 2012 she was the World
University Champion and been 20th in the World cross and, a European Junior cross country Champion 2005.
In 2008 she was the European under 23 steeplechase Champion
Katrina Wootton 2nd of September 1985)
Katrina was 9th of the 32 finishers in the ‘A’ race in a seasons best of 32.37.80 and said” I ran Okay” However in the
corresponding Night of 10,000 PB’s in 2017, she was 3rd in 32:27.47 and also ran her fastest 5000 in 15:27.6 at Nottingham
on the 25th of August.
“I started running when I was 12 and now 32.’ She was with Bedford & County AC from 2000 to 2012 and then at Coventry
Godiva where, she is now coached by David Dix.’
However, she does look back to the time she was at school with Luke Beevor, an ex-junior international, whose father Mike
Beevor, was a cross-country international several times. She can remember breaking club records at Bedford and achieving her
first county title at 13.
She said “It is 15 years ago I was a 1500 runner and that was my favourite distance.
I am a 1500 runner basically.’ She declared. ‘Any of my good races were over 1500 in those days. Lots of them. She was
16th in the European cross country championships in December 2016 and third English scorer.
In 2009 she won the
BMC ‘A’ race, in the Nike Grand Prix on the 13th of June in 4:07.94 and & ran
her fastest in the Watford Open in 4:06:69 in August of that year
Alastair Aitken
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