Charnwood AC took a large contingent to the Midland Counties Cross Country Championships last Saturday (26 January) held this year at Leamington Spa and were rewarded with some fine performances.

 

The under 13 girls saw Savana Smith take 16th place in 13:49, with Gracie-Rose Walters in 23rd (14:04), Mia Sutton 94th (16:01), Erin Suart 100th (16:10) and Alice McDermott 110th, with the team taking 10th place in the Team event.

 

5th place in the Team event for the under 13 boys, with good runs from Kieran Ashman in 26th spot with 13:05, Harry Foord 33rd (13:11), Frankie Bevilacqua Masunda (13:15), Sam Haines 53rd (13:34), Charlie Coleston-Shields (13:53), and James Norman 103rd (15:28) in his first race for Charnwood having just turned 11.

 

A bronze team medal was a fine reward for the under 15 girls, led by Lucy Morrison in 20th place, (17:35) supported by Gemma Newport in 23rd (17:42), Olivia Bonshor 30th (17:59), Isabel Oakland 46th (18:40)

 

A bronze individual medal for Alex Coleston-Shields (14:39) in the under 15 boys helped the squad claim a creditable 5th spot in the Team event. He was supported by Thomas Dixon in 34th (16:00), Sean McCann 47th (16:21) and  Colin Foord 63rd (17:05)

 

Disappointment though in the under 17 women’s race though, where Leics & Rutland champion Mia Atkinson was forced to retire when well placed.

 

Performance of the day though must go to the under 17 men, who not only claimed the Team gold for the third season in succession but two of the three individual medallists – Kieren Coleman-Smith claiming gold (21:09) with Ethan O’Shea in bronze position (21:24), backed up by Vinnie Dawson in 6th (21:55), Luke Nuttall 9th (22:16), Ryan Elston 11th (22:25), Jamie Day 18th (23:01), Seamas Hurst 28th (23:30), Marcus Francis 32nd (24:01) and Lucas Wolf-Pudney 51st (25:56)

 

A good team effort from the under 20 women saw them claim the Team bronze medal, thanks to Aimee Seager in 7th (26:05), Hannah Seager 10th (26:48) and Amy Hammersley 12th (27:09)

 

The senior women’s race saw Elsie Butler achieve 19th place (33:27), with Charlotte Shields in 22nd (33:32) in her first race for Charnwood, and Natalie Egginton 44th (35:39)

 

In the senior men’s race, Harry Lupton was first home in 37th place (43:12), followed by Martin Lewis in 80th (45:56), Adam Lockton 180th (51:26), and Kevin Lomas 352nd (1:02:07)

 

The final major club event of the season is the England Championships at Harewood House, Leeds on February 23

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Well done all!

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