English Schools Cross Country Championships

The last big national cross country event of the winter, the English Schools Cross Country Championships, took place at Pontefract on Saturday on the relatively dry and undulating grounds of the racecourse. It was a red letter day for two Chiltern athletes.
 
After good runs as first years in last week’s National Inter Counties at Nottingham, Tom Ford (in the Junior race) and Alex Hughes (in the Intermediates) ran brilliantly as second years at English Schools to gain selection to run for England Schools in next Saturday’s SIAB international in Dublin.
 
Tom was running for Hertfordshire Schools in the Junior Boys race, second on the programme and at 3.2k quite short. Tom was always well placed and kept his form to finish fourth in 10.06, the same time as the third placed athlete. Tom’s Herts team won the silver team medal. There were several other Chiltern runners competing for Buckinghamshire Schools – Charlie Quantrill 81st, Logan Gaskell 269th and Eddie O’Brien 318th.
 
Alex was in the fourth race, the Intermediate Boys, who ran 4.5k. Alex was at the head of the field, then fell back slightly before rallying for an excellent third place. Edward Johnson was second Bucks scorer in 119th place, Aidan Suleyman third scorer in 223rd, Callum Powell seventh Bucks in 304th.
 
The Junior Girls race saw Kara Gorman make her debut at English Schools and finish a creditable 13th and first Bucks scorer. Maya Davis was fourth Bucks scorer in 144th, Evelyn Wildman fifth scorer in 124th, Nia Clarke sixth scorer in 140th, Megan Lockwood seventh Bucks in 218th. The Bucks team was a good seventh overall.
 
In the Intermediate Girls, Emily Ford was 135th and third scorer for Herts Schools, with Marlie Nkoane seventh Bucks in 226th.  Bucks’ Senior Girls also ran well for seventh team. Maddie Hughes was third scorer in 50th, Frankie Baxter fourth scorer in 75th, Ellie Shield fifth scorer in 137th,
 
In the Senior Boys race over a gruelling 6k, Archie Pinder was fourth Bucks scorer in 150th, Euan Pinder was fifth scorer in 154th, and Isaac Jessop-Tranter sixth scorer in 175th.