Herne Hill Harriers youngsters made an impressive start to the year with a strong collective performance at the Surrey County cross country championships at muddy Lloyd Park. The club’s young athletes had one of their best ever showings at this famous and high quality championships which augers well for the main races later this winter. The clubs U15 boys led the way winning gold team medals with Merhawi Yemane winning the silver medal and then the rest of the scorers packing well with Amiin Jisow 5th, Robert Hanson 6th & Lascelles Hussey 10th.
The Under 13 boys were delighted to win bronze medals in their race led home by Paul Burgess in seventh place and supported by Max Ferrari in 18th and James Bates in 24th place, there were then four boys (Alfie Brown, Andrejz Fanner, Callum Barker & Eddie Willis) in red & black vests battling for the fourth finishing place with Alfie just prevailing to win a team medal.
Our Under 17 men also won bronze medals with Lewis Lloyd finishing third to clinch a place in the Surrey county team, Jordan Maurice was tenth & then John Tayleur and Charles Philpott closed the team in 26th & 27th place.
The girls teams all packed well to finish fifth in both the U13 & U15 girls races & a close fourth in the U17/20 womens team race with highlights being Katie Snowden’s third place finish in the U17s, Breagha Campbell making her debut for the club finishing a close fifth in the U13 girls race, which was matched by Armelle Folkes in the U20 womens race & Georgie Hay who was seventh in the U15 girls race. All will be in strong contention for the Surrey team for the televised inter counties cross country championships in March.
Georgie Hay went on to win the U15 girls 800m at the South of England indoor championships at Picketts Lock on Sunday leading all the way and increasing the pace each lap to win in 2.30.69 with Jessie Knight winning the Under 20 400m final with a new PB of 57.76 in her first championship in the agegroup Merhawi Yemane was another to double up finishing second in the U15 boys 800m in 2.11.99. Whilst at an open indoor meeting at Eton National multi event champion Blade Ashby had two impressive PBs in the 60m with 7.22 & 60m hurdles.