It was an impressive day for Sussex athletes at the Liverpool Cross Challenge with three European Qualifiers and 13 top 30 finishers.
The stand out performance of the day was a win for Brighton & Hove’s Tomer Tarragano in the senior men’s race.
Out of a field of 538, Tomer was 10 seconds ahead of Hugo Milner, the favourite going into the race.
He has booked his place in the Great Britain team at the European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Turkey, In December. The Liverpool Cross Challenge doubles up as a qualifier for this event.
Also securing an international vest was Miles Waterworth (Brighton Phoenix), who placed an impressive 4th in the Junior men’s (under 20) contest.
In the same race Henry Yelling (Brighton & Hove) finished in 11th , Alexander Sproston (Brighton Phoenix) 17th and Fionn O'Murchu (Chichester) 26th.
Eastbourne’s Eleanor Strevens shone in the equivalent female race coming 6th out of 95 athletes, and booking her place in Turkey.
In the senior women (under 23s) contest, Brighton Phoenix’s Milly Dickinson was 23rd.
With a back drop of snow in the preceding week followed by heavy rain and wind, conditions under foot were tough, even by cross country standards.
This didn’t stop some of the county’s youngsters not only braving the courses but also shining.
Ava James (Lewes) placed 7th in the Under 17 women’s race with Raya Petrova (Eastbourne) 11th, Esme Stephenson (Lewes) 17th, Freda Pearce (Eastbourne) 19th, Alice Cox (Crawley) 23rd and Eva Winton (Lewes) 31st.
In the under 15 boys’ race, Eastbourne were out in force placing 11th (Byron Roberts), 15th (Fin Lumber Fry), 18th (George Armstrong Smith) and 53rd (Jonah Messer).
Congratulations to all who made the journey up and competed.