Tomer Tarragano warmed up for Wednesday’s Sussex Schools cross-country championships with a great victory at the prestigious Knole Run event at Sevenoaks for BHASVIC on Saturday.
Over 240 runners featuring some of the best x- country schools in the country raced over 5.8 miles of undulating parkland in the beautiful setting of Knole Park in Sevenoaks.
Tarragano led from start to finish to continue his recent excellent form and his winning time of 31:31 was nine seconds clear of the much fancied Edouand Long from Eton College.
Making his cross-country debut this season Tom Eames, who had won the event last year, finished an excellent fourth in 32:58.
The team backed up well to record the highest ever placing by a Sussex team in this event, which is mainly restricted to invitation to the top cross-country Independent schools from all over the Country, to finish a brilliant fifth team place. Henry Taylor placed 49th, Sam Wilkinson 63rd, Matthew Lui 67th, Jo Clayson 68th, Max Brazier 97th and Jamie MIlsom 151st.
o o o Sussex Schools Championships o o o
Tarragano will be competing in the final event at the day at the Sussex Schools Cross-country championships at the Brighton Rugby Club headquarters at Waterhall, Brighton on Wednesday but he will not be a run-a-way favourite to take the Senior (U19) title.
The reigning champion Tom Eames may decide to concentrate on indoors racing for the rest of the season and not race but George Pool (Eastbourne Coll) has been showing excellent form and could put up a good fight.
The age groups for the Schools championships are one year different from the County races they have done this season and this makes forecasting difficult. Several leading athletes from last season have not raced much, if at all, this season while there are always, particularly in the Junior (U15) age group, those that only run in Schools races.
Almi Nerurkar (Brighton & Hove High) is a hot favourite for the senior girl’s title, if she decides to run, but in her absence Seaford College’s Olivia McDonald and Alex Richard (Millais) will probably do battle.
The Intermediate (U17) race is likely to see Bethany Cook (Moira House) notch up her four successive Schools title with Lisa Dooley (Shoreham Academy) battle out the silver medal with Maya Ramnarine (Robertsbridge), Poppy Palmer-Malins (Ardingly) and Hailsham’s Harriett Bloor while the boys race looks wide open with Carlo Neito-Parr (Battle), Tom James (Hazlewick), the Junior champion, and Archie Rowles (Dorothy Stringer) likely to cause problems for anyone seeking the title.
In the Junior groups Eleanor Strevens (Eastbourne), who is in her first year in the age group is probably the athlete to watch with Daisy Burton (Cavendish) and Eadie Yelling (Varndean) likely to be the main challengers while Nick Hollan-Ellidge Hazelwick is a strong contender for the boys title with Ben Connolly (Dorothy Stringer) and Henry Yelling (Varndean) leading the challengers.
The first race will be at 12.15.
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