HY athletes clinch success at Sussex cross country championships - and elsewhere
It was an early start for HY AC to set up and host the Sussex Cross Country Championships at Bexhill Downs on Saturday.
The top four in the each of the races (except under-11s) secure selection to represent Sussex in the English inter-counties in Nottingham in March, so it was a big occasion.
lthough it remained dry it was super muddy, but athletes faired well and all gave it their best, with HY’s members shining.
First up were the U11 girls completing a 2k lap. Lottie Goodman had a strong race finishing 7th in 8.25 with Ivy Buchannan 8th in 8.32 and Renee Nmachi Wems-Eregbonye 32nd in 14.49.
In the boys’ race Michael Mansell won well in 7.18 to earn gold.
The U13 girls were completing a 3k course and Tera Buckland had a brilliant race to finish 5th in 13.15. Francesca Tarrant came 14th in 14.18, Matilda Skelton 34th in 17.09 and Miley Wigmore 37th in 19.42.
The first three from each club make up the team scores and Tera, Francesca and Matilda's placings earned team bronze, the first HY medal of the day.
The U13 boys were next with Benji Pocock finishing an amazing 6th in 12.03, Noah Mayhew 18th in 12.44, Xavier 27th in 13.13 and Tommy Mills 34th in 13.40.
The U15s complete two laps of the course covering 4k and the girls’ race was first – and Isabella Buchanan was a very strong winner in 14:11 to take gold. Amelia Skelton was 8th in 16.10 and Florence Tewksbury 9th in 16.14 securing team silver. Kitty Morgan was next back for HY in 18th 17.44 and Olivia Collins 24th in 18.49.
In the U15 boys’ race Oliver Goodman ran 13.24 securing bronze, Caleb Buckleywas 23rd in 15.02, Cobey Buckley was 26th in 15.10 and Aiden Larkin 27th in 15.11.
In the U20s race comprising 8k (four laps), Finlay Goodman won in 26.36, the third HY AC individual gold.
The senior men’s race – of five laps totalling 10k – saw David Ervine come 8th in 36.04, Barry Buchanan 12th in 37.23, William Carey 14th in 37.43, Stuart Piper 30th in 40.46, Benji Symes 44th in 43.54 and Andy Edmonds 61st in 49.41.
In the women's race, covering 8k, Imogen Matthews was 3rd in 31.33 to take bronze and Rachel Wigmore was 22nd in 39.43.
Sunday saw another cross country outing, in an East Sussex League race at Seaford Head, a spectacular course with muddy hills to navigate.
First to set off in the junior races were the U15s- Cobey Buckley, Caleb Buckley and Kitty Morgan covering around 4k with a challenging ascent on a particularly slippery hill and navigating their way back down.
Cobey won for the boys in an outstanding 16.45 with Caleb 2nd in 18.22. Kitty won for the girls in 20.02.
The U11s ran 2k with Louie Miller taking 6th in 8.24, Oscar Gilpin 12th in 9.31 and Xander Cornford 14th in 9.52. Darcy Cornford came home in 9.38 securing 8th place for the U11 girls.
The only adult racing for HY was Sonnii Pine finishing the near-five-mile course in 42.53.
Indoors, Beth Wilson and Jessica Harmer competed in Lewes in the Pole Vault at the Barn Open.
Beth secured a new PB of 3.12m and Jessica secured a new best of 2.42m, both girls’ determination paying off.
On Sunday Beth travelled with sister Jessica to the South of England indoor Championships. Beth again soared to new heights in the pole vault with her second PB in two days of 3.20m, securing silver for the U17 girls.
Jessica competed in three events: in the 300m she finished in 47.17 PB, she also secured a big PB in the shot with 7.65m and gained another PB in the 60m with a speedy 8.87s – a fantastic weekend of personal best for the girls.