Page 26 - BBHAC Winter 2017-18 Gazette

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English Schools Cross Country Championships

17th March 2018
All forty-six English Counties The Junior girls were up next
This years English Schools’ select their best eight athletes running 3.1k and BBHAC were
Cross Country Championships for the honour of being the well represented having athletes
was held within the historic estate best in the Country, so the competing for four different
of Temple Newsam, Leeds, West competition is always fierce and counties. Three Phil Kissi girls
Yorkshire, against the backdrop the fields large. An impressive all competing for London in-
of the magnificent Tudor - twenty-eight Blackheath and cluded Naomi Toft who started
Jacobean mansion, in grounds Bromley Harriers were selected well and finished a fantastic
landscaped by Capability Brown for their counties and another 14th,. Lara Mannes in her En-
in the 18th century. seven selected as reserves. glish schools debut had a solid
run in 50th followed by Anwen
First up were the Inter girls Thomas finishing 64th. Kent’s
With the weather taking another (school years 10 and 11), run-
turn for the worse it was looking ning a 3.8k route. Ellie Dolby in her 2nd ESAA
likely that the Championships Champs was 69th with Hannah
may have been called off but Sophie Hoare set off hard and Clark and Lily Meers both a
then a refreshing message was rewarded with a fantastic year young making their ESAA
appeared on the English schools 17th followed by Ava White debuts placing 122nd and 245th
website running well in 37th just in front respectively. Zakia Mossi rep-
resenting Middlesex continued
of Lucrezia Polloni having a her fine English schools career
“The weather forecast is brrr... with great run crossing the line in an
strong cold winds bringing maybe only impressive 39th. Next, followed with a great 79th place finish to
about 20mm of snow...perhaps...no four Andy Frankish coached add to her track and field 800m
more. This is normal cross country girls and good to see Morgan bronze win in 2017.
weather in England and the Champi- Squibb back running again after
onships will go ahead as planned. This a short lay off placing 82nd. Imogen Hadley completed the
is your chance to decry the common Zoe White in her first English age group running for Surrey
perception that kids nowadays are schools was a fine 115th with and finishing 254th.
deemed to be ‘snowflakes’! Turn up. Jess Neal a good 171st. Bethany The Inter boys running 5.2k
Run. Get cold. Get muddy. Enjoy Panton in her first English were next to feature and with
getting warm again! This is proper schools was 212th and Sabrina no Kent based BB athletes it
cross country.”
Mannes finished in 219th. was down to the Nigel Sticking
A brave and ultimately correct The Junior boys (school years coached trio of London boys
decision. The weather was 8 and 9) ran over a 4.1k course Oliver Bright, Matthew Francis
bitterly cold with snow showers, and Sam Reardon (coach Mick and Peter Guy, along with
strong winds and the odd spell Jones) making his English Middlesex Carlos Ohler to fly
of wintery sun but the course schools debut was BB’s only rep- the flag.
was great and well marked out. resentative and was a respectable Oliver, no stranger to the En-
The tough hilly course wound 114th. Tom Brash had also been glish schools having represented
around the grounds taking selected but unfortunately had them last year when placing
in sections that were wet and to withdraw a week before the 7th earning him his England
muddy under foot and finished champs having picked up a leg vest, went off with the pack and
in the shadow of the imposing injury. ran superbly considering he is
Temple Newsam mansion. The a year young in this age group
course was perfect for spectators and finishing high up in 16th.
who could watch all of the races Matthew Francis is in great
unfold from the high ground.
shape and started well but was
hampered by a shoe problem