A Silver and 12 Top 20s At Inter Counties

A silver medal and 12 top 20 finishers marked a good day at the South of England Inter Counties Cross Country Championships at Horspath, Oxford.

Competing in her first year in the Under 15 girls’ race, Eleanor Strevens, found herself in a battle right through to the end. She was placed second but with the same time (15.14) as the winner from Oxfordshire.

The Under 15 girls were 5^th overall with Isabel Guirdham (Uckfield) the second Sussex runner home in 10th, Eadie Yellling (B&H) 29^th and Amelia Cox (Craw) 32^nd.

It was the Under 17 women’s team who placed highest on the day in 4^th, with Harriet Bloor (Hailsham) leading the team home in a fantastic 5^th. Milly Dickinson (Phx) came in 13^th, Lois Dooley (B&H) 15^th and Poppy Palmer-Malins (Phx) 22^nd.

The Under 17 men were 6^th overall with the scoring 4 being Adam Dray (Lew) 14^th, Jonah Davies (Has) 22^nd, Atticus Mohapi-Dobouny (Lew) 23^rd and Callum Stone (Craw) 27^th.

Two top 20 finishes had come in the first race of the day – the Under 13 girls with Dulcie Yelling (B&H) 18^th and Anna Fox close behind in 19^th.  Placing 5^th overall the other scoring athletes were Rihanon Daniels 26^th and just on her heels Rosie Gasson (B&H) 27^th.

Due to strength in numbers, Sussex had taken A and B teams in both U13 girls’ and boys’ categories. Thomas Matthews (B&H) lead the A team to 7^th place coming in 16^th with Arun Khursheed (HHH) 26^th – both boys being in the first year in the age group. The other 2 scoring A runners were Joshua Dunne (Chi) 27^th and Jude Clayton (B&H) 53^rd. Sussex Bs finished 11^th but were the first B team with Matthews Noakes (Phx) 40^ththe leading runner.

In 22^nd, Luke Newton (Craw) was the first Under 15 Sussex runner with Charlie Ferris (Horsham) 38^th, Luc Best (Craw) 29^th and Miles Waterworth (Craw) 41^st. The team were 8^th..

Unfortunately, Sussex only had 3 athletes in the senior women’s race so were unable to score as a team. Megan Taylor (Lew) placed 33^rd, Rachel Hillman (Hail) 39^th and Sophie Markwick (Has) 47^th.

There were 3 top 20 finishers in the Under 20 women with Darja Knotkova-Hanley (HHH) 11^th, Naomi Fonteyn (Phx) 16^th and Alice Cox-Rusbridge (Chi) 20^th. Amy Gamblin (Phx) was 39^th and the team 4^th overall.

The SEAA Masters Champs was held on the same day - full report to follow.

Photos by Andy Cox