Massive crowds travelled all the way down to Ardingly Showground for the annual cross-country championships, with English Colleges celebrating its a centesimal anniversary
Alex Lennon and Zoe Gilbody secured wins within the senior races on the sixty fourth boys and forty sixth women English Colleges Cross Nation Championships on Saturday (March 15).
The occasion, held at Ardingly Showground in East Sussex, attracted large crowds and noticed individuals line up across the edges of many of the course.
Situations had been nigh on excellent for cross-country operating and the bottom was largely agency across the undulating course, fairly totally different to the treacherously greasy mud on the English Nationwide final month.
The senior boys race completed off the proceedings and Lennon as soon as once more stole the present, including victory at English Colleges to his wins on the Inter-Counties Championships (March 8) and Nationwide (February 22).
Alex Lennon (Gary Mitchell)
The 16-year-old was second for a big a part of the race behind Owen Smith, however made his transfer within the latter phases and by no means regarded again.
Lennon, representing Surrey, clocked 17:46 (6000m) and gained by 5 seconds from Jack Sanderson, with Smith third in 17:52.
After his victory, Lennon spoke to AW and said it was difficult to run round Ardingly Showground due to the brief sharp hills that abruptly appeared after the lengthy straights.
“Two weeks I advised you that Parliament Hill was the hardest course I’ve ever accomplished,” he mentioned. “Now I need to take again that assertion as a result of Ardingly as we speak was more durable. Each time I used to be on a bit little bit of a flat, I used to be pondering’ that is chill’ and I’m having fun with myself.
Senior boys race (Gary Mitchell)
“Then, rapidly and out of nowhere, you get a giant incline and also you’re pondering ‘that is terrible’. I used to be sitting within the high 5 and I’ve to say, Owen Smith was stunning as a result of he took your entire race on. Fortunately, I used to be capable of decide up the tempo within the final 600m and I had the glory of taking residence ‘the triple’.”
Lennon, who received into operating in major faculty after his PE trainer advised him to do Sutton Colleges, has large objectives in operating and needs to give attention to the middle-distances on the observe.
“This yr we’ve received the European Underneath-20 Championships [Tampere, Finland] and I need to qualify for that,” Lennon added. “I might additionally love to interrupt 3:40 within the 1500m as my private greatest is 3:48.17. If all goes properly, it’s bless.”
Zoe Gilbody (Gary Mitchell)
In equally spectacular trend, Gilbody took victory within the senior women race at Ardingly Showground, capping off a memorable few months over cross-country.
The 18-year-old, who has now triumphed within the junior, intermediate and senior classes on the English Colleges Cross Nation Championships, clocked 13:23 (4100m) and gained by seven seconds to Isla McGowan, with Katie Pye third in 13:41.
“I can’t consider it,” Gilbody, representing Shropshire, advised AW. “I couldn’t really feel my legs in the long run as I wished it a lot. I used to be actually pleased with the way in which that I ran it and I’d deliberate to begin out extra conservatively.
Senior women race (Gary Mitchell)
“I used to be second coming into the final area however I assumed ‘I’ve accomplished this earlier than’. I knew it will come down a dash end. I’ve been doing the whole lot to get this final title and it means a lot.”
Again in December, Gilbody positioned eleventh individually within the under-20 race on the European Cross Nation Championships and was a part of the British cohort – alongside Innes FitzGerald, Jess Bailey, Eleanor Strevens, Lizzie Wellsted and Isobelle Jones – that secured a crew gold in Antalya, Turkey.
Gilbody’s begin to the 2025 season has additionally been spectacular, with victory on the British Athletics Cross Problem in Glasgow and second place on the English Colleges Cup in Leeds.
Evan Grime (Gary Mitchell)
The intermediate boys race was gained by Evan Grime, who has kicked off 2025 with a bang, each on the observe and in cross-country.
Grime, representing Better Manchester, ran 14:26 (4800m) and took the victory by 5 seconds to Archie Lane, with Rory Barclay-Watt third in 14:37.
“That felt wonderful and I couldn’t have requested for a greater race in all honesty,” the 16-year-old mentioned. “Coming into it I used to be a bit in poor health and thought I wanted an excellent begin. I wished to get by way of that safely earlier than transferring up the sphere afterward. On the second lap, about two miles in, there was a little bit of a hill and everybody began to decelerate.
Begin of intermediate boys race (Gary Mitchell)
“At that time I assumed I’d maintain my tempo and see if anybody goes with me. I regarded behind a few minute later and I had a 10-second hole. I held that properly and it was job accomplished on the end. I assumed if I may push like I do know I can then I used to be okay.”
Grime’s win at Ardingly Showground comes off the again of an impressive previous few months. Not solely did Grime break British under-17 1500m (3:49.47) and 3000m (8:23.76) information, however he was additionally topped the nationwide indoor 800m champion for his age group in Sheffield two months in the past.
The primary race of the day on the English Colleges Cross Nation Championships noticed Kitty Scott take the win within the intermediate women class.
Kitty Scott (Gary Mitchell)
Scott, who has a triathlon background, clocked 12:27 and took the win by a powerful margin of 11 seconds, with Jasmine Christmas second after which Olivia McGhee third in 12:40.
“I’m actually joyful as that was very laborious,” Scott advised AW. “The primary lap was okay however it was a bit difficult underfoot. Then the massive lap was very hilly and horrible. I loved it most once we received in direction of the end line.
“My mum and sister all the time ran so I simply form of adopted them. With triathlon, I couldn’t trip a motorcycle till very late and my dad simply said I needed to study! The week I learnt find out how to trip I did my first triathlon. All three sports activities present actually good cross-training and it helps so much with my energy.”
{The teenager} has had a incredible cross-country season total, with wins on the English Colleges Cup and the South of England Championships, alongside second place on the English Nationwide.
Leo Blyton out in entrance (Gary Mitchell)
Within the junior races, Leo Blyton and Gabrielle Pinder triumphed, with the pair each securing their victories by a margin of 5 seconds.
Blyton, representing Oxfordshire, draped the county flag round him after his win. {The teenager} positioned 197th within the junior class finally yr’s English Colleges Cross Nation Championships in Pontefract, making this achievement much more particular.
In a pulsating race (2850m), Blyton clocked 8:22, with Harry Cantell second and Theo Creed again in third with 8:29.
Gabrielle Pinder out in entrance (Gary Mitchell)
Pinder went into the championships off the again of victory on the English Nationwide and wins at each the North East Colleges’ Inter Counties and Northern Counties Championships.
{The teenager}, representing Cleveland, ran 9:05 (2850m), with Kara Gorman and Olivia Lee (9:15) making up the rostrum.
Full outcomes may be discovered right here
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