National run for Scarborough trio
Just three of Scarborough Athletic Club’s leading young athletes represented North
Yorkshire Schools at the English Schools Cross Country
Championships , which were held at Witton Country Park in Blackburn.
Bronwen Owen was unable to compete prior to her World Championship debut in China on March 28 on the advice of the Great Britain team manager.
The championships are seen as a springboard to future success as a senior athl ete, f ormer Olympic gold medalists Steve Ovett, Seb Coe, and Kelly Holmes all hav- ing ran in this event, which started in 1960.
The re c o rd number o f 2,000 participants i n this year’s championships had been selected by their county association, and therefore represented the top athletes aged 13 to under 18 in their county.
In the intermediate girls championships, Lady Lumley’s School pupil Emma Clapton concluded another successful cross country season.
Her efforts included a n ot he r Nor t h Yo rk sh i re Schools Championship win, a silver medal at the Yorkshire Country and a bronze at the Northern Championships, and she also capped the season by finishing in 82nd of the field of 246 top-class runners.
Hannah Mainprize made her championship debut in the senior girls race, which included junior Great Britain representative athletes competing for their county, and was 138th of the 300-strong field.
There was also a notable championship debut for Sacha Butterworth, who took part in the junior girls championship, and finished ahead of 90 runners in 255th place.