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Click on photos to enlarge - use browser back button to return Pictures by Steve Perkin |
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Click on photos to enlarge - use browser back button to return Pictures by Steve Perkin |
A large contingent of fourteen Chiltern Harriers young athletes were taking part for Buckinghamshire and one for Hertfordshire in the Southern Inter Counties Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill Fields in London on Saturday.
On a mild and dry day, conditions were good for cross country on tough courses on what is acknowledged to be the home of cross country running in England.
In the boys Under 15 race of 108 finishers, Michael Goddard ran well for Bucks to be 30th and second team scorer and George Gillingwater was in 35th and third scorer. Jack Dutton suffered a fall during the race and later had to stop because of an injury.
Next race was the 105-strong Under 13 girls race where Chiltern provided five of the eight team members. Connie Lewis was second Bucks finisher in sixth place in 11.21 behind Rebecca Croft of Windsor who won the bronze medal in 11.13. Georgie Bingham continued her good form to be 53rd and fourth scorer in 12.43. Emma Barraclough was just behind in 54th, also in 12.43, and Claire Buttivant (68th) and Katie Bench (72nd) also gained very good experience in a high calibre race. Another Chiltern girl Hannah Morton was running for Hertfordshire and had a great run to be 22nd in a time of 11.59, which placed her as second Herts scorer.
In the Under 13 boys race Chiltern had Joe Cochrane, Andrew Stenning, Sam Butcher, and Bill Hughes taking part. Bill had a great run to finish as first Bucks scorer in 16th in 10.53. Joe Cochrane was 23rd in 11.00, Andrew Stenning was 29th in 11.09, and Sam Butcher was 36th in 11.14. All eight Bucks boys finished in the top 45 in a field of 108 so show some promise for the future.
Ellie Jones was sixth Bucks finisher in the Under 15 girls race, and Will Fletcher was making his county debut in the Under 17 men's event and finished an impressive third Bucks scorer.