Athletics Megan shocked by her silver success at national event
A“SHOCK” first national medal for teenager Megan Hornung and a rather more predictable crushing team victory for the seniors added up to a fabulous weekend for Bristol & West AC’s female distance runners.
Bristol Grammar School student Hornung admitted she had set herself a conservative top-ten ambition for the senior girls’ race at the English Schools’ Cross Country Championships at Tonbridge, Kent, so her silver left the 16-yearld understandably delighted.
“I was hoping for a strong run and maybe top ten, as I am bottom of the age group and hadn’t raced many of the girls before, so I really surprised myself with second. I was shocked, to be honest!” said Hornung, who was representing Avon Schools.
“The course was flat and dry which suited me, but I got boxed in at the start and was stuck back down the field for a while. But I felt strong towards the end and that is definitely my best performance at national level.”
The England silver comes on top of silvers at both the South West Schools and Inter-Counties Championships and a fifth at the English National Championships – not bad for someone who is primarily a triathlete.
“I was originally a swimmer and then started the triathlon, though running is my favourite discipline,” added Hornung. “The triathlon season starts in two weeks and it
should be an exciting summer with lots of opportunities.”
With Hornung already selected for the England Next Generation Group – she was ranked third in the country for her age group in 2021 – her hopes are set on winning selection for either the European Youth Olympics or European Championships in the summer.
On the same day in Swansea, the Gwent Cross Country League reached its climax with B&W’s senior women clinching the title for an unprecedented ninth successive year.
“Another amazing statistic is that Bristol & West AC had seven, including Katy Roy, who has now joined us, in the first ten in the overall standings,” said team manager Chris Elson.
Individually, newcomer Chelsea
Creak claimed the overall title, improving from 29th on her debut in October to finish third, second, first and then second at the final fixture.
Club-mate Hannah Dyer was third overall and top under-23 runner with Roy, Liz Sanigar, Sarah Everritt, Claire Jolliffe and Verity
Potts all making the top ten. The senior men also retained their title for the fourth successive year.
“Overall the team can look back on another successful and, indeed, remarkable season,” added Elson.
“It’s notable that a host of newcomers to the club tried cross country running for the first time and took to it like ducks to water.”
Among the young athletes, Ishmael Bradley (under-17s) and Fletcher Rogers (novice boys) both placed third overall, and on the team front the under-13s squad won the girls’ title and were second in the boys.