THE BROOKS Midland Cross Country Championship took place at the rearranged venue of Prestwold Hall in Loughborough and there were some performances to savour from Bromsgrove & Redditch Athletic Club members.
The event was due to be held at Stafford Common but was moved at a week’s notice due to waterlogging.
Officials did a great job in getting Saturday’s competition to run so smoothly at the new venue and B&R athletes enjoyed the experience on a flattish course with open spaces and one slight hill, although conditions were very slippery underfoot.
In the boys’ U13s category Josh Robins was 23rd, whilst the U15 girls did the club proud again as Amelia Mijovic-Couldwell led the way in 14th, ahead of Alice Battey who was 22nd, Anna Nicod 35th, Ellie Moss 45th and Beth Sykes 57th as the team finished fourth, just five points away from a medal.
The U17 girls’ team featured Megan Nicod who was 43rd, whilst the same age group for the club’s boys saw Conor Smith fourth and Gareth Richardson 42nd.
The senior women’s race was won by Jane Potter (Charnwood) and first for B&R was Katy Barden in 26th.
Tamara Freeman was 44th, Mel Hepke 72nd, Jane Anderson 116th and Charlotte Ball 125th as the team finished eighth.
The senior men’s race was won by Alex Brecker (City of Stoke) and top of the pile for B&R was Joe Smith in 21st.
Simon Lanckham was 44th, Andrew Freeman 124th, Sean Bowden 168th, Stephen Brooks 177th and Phil Anderson 277th as the team finished 12th.
The next step for many of the young athletes is the trial for the county schools team which will compete in the English Schools’ Championships.
