English Schools Cross Country - News - Feltham SSP and Isleworth & Syon SSP

English Schools Cross Country

English Schools Cross Country Report

Report by Mr Stoddart, Athletics Coach and Maths Teacher at the Isleworth & Syon School.

Hounslow athletes lead the way for Middlesex at the English Schools Athletics Association Cross-Country Championships at Heaton Park, Manchester on Saturday 20th March.  Conditions were tough on a very muddy course that contained several sharp hills which had competitors on their knees on more than one occasion.

Bradley Goater (Isleworth & Syon) was the county's star performer, finishing 13th of the 350 Intermediate Boys competitors, all of whom had qualified to run through Borough and County Championships across the country.  Before the race hopes had been high that Bradley could make the top 20, perhaps even the top 8 which would have qualified him for the England team.  In the early stages of the race Bradley was in the mid 20s before moving through and running a very strong last kilometer to pass 5 people and move through to 13th.  Behind him Jack Killip (St  Mark's) was having one of his best races ever, not that the results show it.  After 20m of the race Jack had his shoe clipped and taken off his foot meaning he had to run the remaining 5km with only one spike on.  He admitted afterwards that the only way to get up the hills was to grab the vest of the person in front and haul himself up.  Jack went from dead-last to 126th, a run that would surely have been a top 40 performance with two shoes on.  Bradley and Jack helped Middlesex to 5th of the 40 counties taking part.

Jack's sister Rebecca (Gumley) was Middlesex's highest placed female runner, finishing 78th in the Junior Girls race.  An excellent run from Rebecca saw her pass 3 of her county team mates after she started 4th in the team on the start line.

Yet another Killip competed in the Junior Boys event.  Middlesex Champion Ben Killip (St Mark's) had a storming run to finish 52nd in his first English Schools competition.  Furher down the field Jivendra Singh (Isleworth & Syon) found the conditions tough finishing 206th but he will look to improve when he is in the same age group next year.

Tulsi Hansla was the borough's other competitor of the day, taking part in the Inter Girls race. She too finished in the 200s but this was a respectable performance after receiving a late call on to the team.

All 6 athletes compete for St Mary's Richmond Athletic Club and are now looking forward to the summer of track competition ahead.

For a full list of results please click on the link here to visit the English Schools Athletics Association website. 

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