A sensational day for Sussex at the UK CAU Inter-counties Cross Country Championships in Nottingham saw four individual podium finishers, including gold for Ava James and two team medals.
It all marked one of the best performances for the county at the annual event, where the runners compete on courses in front of the spectacular Wollaton Hall.
Ava had looked in good condition placing 3rd at the Nationals two weekend previous, but on Saturday there was an added determination.
Sensibly pacing herself across the under 20 women’s 6K she ran side by side with Surrey competitor Katie Pye until the final hill where she was able to stretch out to take on the last stretch in front winning 5 seconds in front.
A dominating victory for the Brighton & Hove talent made sweeter with a team silver thanks to team mates Esme Stephenson in 8th, Frida Rocha 36th, and Niamh Lesova 43rd.
Earlier in the day Taylor Thom Watts scooped silver after a gutsy run in the in the under 15 boys’ 4k race, just 1 second behind the winner.
The team placed an impressive 4th overall with George Urben 35th, Harry Chapman 49th and Max Gayle 51st.
Following this race were the under 17 women where Daisy Skye Connor’s excellent 5th finish led the Sussex team of Elodie Hill (17th), Freda Pearce (27th) and Molly Smithers (53rd) to bronze.
It was then silver smiles all round for Isabella Buchanan who placed 2nd in the under 15 girls and Jacob Cann, 2nd in the senior men’s contest.
Others also placed in the top 50 on the day, including under 20 men Fintan Pearce (32nd) and Rowan Curtis (36th), under 13 girls Emmy Pemberton (15th), Amelie Adams (30th), Lana Povey (43rd) and Elzie Ortiz (47th), senior women Milly Dickinson (20th) and Imogen Matthews (23rd), under 17 man Fin Lumber Fry (41st), under 13 boys Isaac Bowley (36th) and Charlie Carman (48th), under 20 Ela Pemberton (44th), under 15 girl Isabella Lendrum (24th) and senior men Andrew Green (35th) and Henry Yelling (47th).
This is a huge achievement with around 300 competitors in each race.