A most satisfactory day for Chelmsford in the National Cross Country Championships on the Parliament Hill Fields in London with two of our teams gaining team medals.
For the under 15 girls their reward was the glint of silver with Jorjia March in sixth place having a great run and leading them home. Ava King 30th, Lily Sanford 36th and Amelie Shipton 49th completing our scoring team with only the strong Aldershot going better than our 121 points. Also close up in our colours here were Isabelle Eida 54th and Hetty Harrison 86th.
What a close thing it was to be in the junior men’s race with the team scores eagerly awaited. It was Sam Plummer to be first over the line for Chelmsford in tenth place with William Nuttall close behind time wise in 16th spot, with Joseph Grange 45th and Finn Rattray 48th completing our scoring team for 119 points. with Gregory Martin placing 79th in reserve. Tonbridge were to be clear winners with 91 but Aldershot just nipped into second place bettering our score by just four points.
In a national meeting it is no mean feat for teams to take sixth spot such as our under 15 boys and under 17 women achieved here. The boys had Joseph Delaney leading them in 15th place with Jacob Parrott 81st, Fred Ferman 107th, Daniel Pollard 133rd and the ever present Khaya Fakazi 297th. There was also another 15th place as Daisy Stollery led the women home with Harriet Matthews 55th, Jessica Walker 94th, Emma Cox 96th and Kate Cox 103rd.
With only three needed to score in the junior women's category and Larne Morgan 51st, Lucy Nuttall 55th and Molly Drane 93rd gave us tenth place in the team placing.
Alas in the under 13 year girls and under 17 men full teams were not put out. In the girls Isla Kehoe put in a fine race finishing 16th with Beatrix Cooke 57th and Jessica Hobson 84th in the field of some 300 runners. In the under 17 men`s event Jacob Hurrell placed 50th, Thomas Carter 148th and Ben Smith 230th,
Only James Pollard 123rd and Daniel Smith 167th tackled the under 13 boys race whilst at senior level – there were no women whatsoever but a large men’s contingent of eight athletes tackled the muddy 12km course. In a field of over 2400 runners our men placed 45th team lead home by Tom Rehal 139th followed by Sam Waite 223rd, Seb Cirillo 404th, Scott Thomas 543rd, Paul Grange 853rd, Thomas Murphy 883rd, Lee Martin 936th and Mick Bridgeland 1499th.
Report written by Roy Meadowcroft
