Splendid Team Victory And An International Qualifier at English Schools

A very rare team gold medal and a top 10 individual finish for Sussex highlighted a fine day at the English Schools Cross-Country Championships at Hop Farm, Paddock Wood in Kent on Saturday.

Were it not for Covid19 there could have been more team medals for Sussex, but as it was the team victory came in the Intermediate Boys team, which is usually regarded as one of the toughest of the six age group races and a title they have never won before.

They last won a team title in 2011 when they were victorious in the senior age group but this year it was a really nail biting affair with recounts between Sussex and arch rivals Kent and the Sussex squad declared champions with 262 points just one point less than their rivals to take the  Intermediate crown.

Miles Waterworth (Brighton College), who has headed his age group in Sussex all season, led the team home in a splendid 12th place. More than three hundred runners finished in each of the sixth age category races.

Luke Newton (Oriel High), Charlie Wright (Uckfield College) and Harvey McGuiness (Bishop Luffa) all finished inside the top fifty placing 21^st, 31^st and 44^th respectively, while Charlie Ferris (The Weald), came in 76^th and Jude Clayton (Worthing High) 78^th making up the scoring team.

The next highest team placing were the junior girls in a splendid fifth place. As it was Ava James (Lewes Old Grammar) and Grace Thursday (Uckfield College) had a great battle placing 23^rd and 24^th - Ava just having the edge. Esme Stephenson (Priory School) came 57^th, Alice Cox (Hazelwick) 70^th, Monica Pamoutsou (Christs Hospital) 112^th and Freda Pearce (Cavendish) 145^th.

The highest placed Sussex individual was Finlay Goodman (Home Schooled) in the junior race in a brilliant 10th. A fine achievement earning him his first international vest to represent ESAA in Wales next Saturday. The team placed 22^nd  .

The Intermediates girls’ team finished a pretty useful 14^th with Yasmin Kashdan (Tanbridge House) leading the challenge in an excellent 15^th place, Stephanie Shaw (Oriel) 83^rd and Ellie McLean (St Catherine's College) 39^th. 

The senior girl’s filled a 15^th team spot with just Amelia Cox (Hazlewick), Emily Muzio (BHASVIC) and Ella Ayden (Beacon Academy) cracking the top one hundred places in a steady 54^th , Emily 94^th and Ella 98th. 

In the senior boys Thomas Kimber (Collyers) was 74^th place and the team placing 23^rd.