Well, what a month it`s been for our youngsters in the start of the winter season.
Essex titles in the cross country relays, Southern Counties titles at the road relay championships and now two - yes two - NATIONAL TITLES. These wins came from our under 13 girls and the under 17 men in the English Road Running Association championships staged in Birmingham with clubs throughout the country entered.
A field of 59 teams set off in the under 13 girls and Heidi Woodley was up there with the leaders coming through in third spot with a time of 14m 26s. Now Ava King soon brought our gold and green colours to the fore clocking a time of 14m 28s and Erin Kelly with 14m 17s maintained this lead to the finish with an overall time of 43m 11s ahead of Warriors Pentathlon of Merseyside 43m 24s and Aldershot 44m 06s. In such company our second team did well to place 14th with Isabelle Eida 15.23, Lily Sanford 16.21 and Frankie Phillips 15.11
To the under 17 men and here Greg Martin timed at 12m 16s came through in 16th place but well in contention as Joseph Grange, 11m 41s, pulled us into third spot. With Jacob Hurrell ,a member of our team in the previous wins, not available Sam Plummer, previously with Colchester & Tendering, was brought in and with another 11.41 came to the fore - our wining time 35m 38s ahead of Cambridge 35.48 and Norwich 36.23.
No further medals but still excellent performances. The under 15 girls were to place a very creditable 7th with Hetty Harrison 15.06, Lottie Wilkin 14.34 and Ezrah Harrold13.51. Amelie Shipton running as an individual on the first stage had clocked 14.49. Winners here were Lincoln ahead of Aldershot but praise to our near neighbours, the recently formed Brentwood who placed third. The under 13 boys via Casper Norris - 15m 14s and 38th, Fred Ferman 13m 36s, towards the best of the race and now 15th and Khaya Fakazi 15m 03s maintaining that spot. Our senior women although not in the hunt for medals were able to field two teams, promising for the season ahead. Maegan Williams, 16.08, Jodie Judd back from her studies in America, 16.53, Kiera Atkinson 16.16 and Ruby Vinton 16.25 placed the team 32nd whilst Hannah Bolton 16.06, Rebecca Luxton 16.18, Wendy King 17.50 and Sophie McCallum 18.25 finished 45th.
A full gallery of the event can be found here
Report written by Roy Meadowcroft
