CAROLINE Marler overcame injury and illness to secure two medals and a European record at the World Masters Athletic Championships in Perth, Australia.

It was at one point doubtful whether Marler would be able to compete as she was hampered first by a hip injury and then by a chest infection which made it impossible for her to train for the three weeks before the championships.

However, she managed to reach the finals of both the 200m and the 800m in the first week in the W65 category, unfortunately just missing out on medals in both these events.

In the second week Caroline took bronze in the 400m. Her time of 73.34 seconds was a new European and British record. She also ran the last leg of the 4 x 400m relay, where the British Team ran well enough to break the old world record by over three seconds.

Unfortunately this was not quick enough to beat a very strong Australian team so the Brits had to be content with silver.

Also overseas, Tom Lynch represented the black and whites over the weekend in a 6.6km cross country race in Darmstadt, coming in 49th in 26:15. The race was won by Jannik Seelhofer in 21:18.

Closer to home, several Otley members braved challenging conditions over the weekend to take part in a variety of events.

Hannah Lupton completed the LDWA’s 23-mile Wensleydale Wedge over Askrigg Moor on Sunday in 6hr 26m; while at the Tatton Park Half Marathon on the same day, Christian Hosker finished in 1:34:15 and Andy Webster in 1:37:13. The event was won by Gary Priestley of Salford Harriers in 1:08:23, with the first lady being Claire Walton of Wallasey AC, in 01:23:00.

Also on Sunday, Otley AC’s Howard Jeffrey completed the Clowne Half Marathon in 1:35:32. The winner was Phil Skelton of Steel City Striders in 1.16.41 and first lady was Fiona Kesteven of Totley in 1.30.23.