Harriers' girls are Midland marvels with bronze medal

A superb team performance by the U15 girls heaped credit on Mansfield Harriers when the club tackled the Midland Cross-Country Championships at the weekend.
Harriers' U15 girls team, from left, Olivia Barrett, Sophie Toyn, Grace Manson and Beth Hamilton.Harriers' U15 girls team, from left, Olivia Barrett, Sophie Toyn, Grace Manson and Beth Hamilton.
Harriers' U15 girls team, from left, Olivia Barrett, Sophie Toyn, Grace Manson and Beth Hamilton.

Thirty-five athletes, the club’s best turnout at the event for many years, travelled from Mansfield to Prestwold Hall, near Loughborough, to take on the challenging and heavy course.

But the U15 girls stole the show, displaying tremendous packing to come away with a magnificent bronze medal.

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Beth Hamilton was first to finish in 27th place, closely followed by Olivia Barrett in 32nd, Grace Manson in 33rd and Sophie Toyn in 34th, making up the scoring team.

Strength in depth in the age group was shown with terrific runs from Ava Blake in 68th, Caitlin Dodds in 71st and Elizabeth Sinclair in 101st .

Harriers narrowly missed out on more medals in the U20 and U17 women’s races. Louise Cocking produced a cracking run for fourth in the U20s’ event, with Mollie Scott sixth, while Lauren McNeill continued her outstanding winter, placing fourth in the U17s’ age group.

The club’s U13 girls had a marvellous learning experience at the event, with Ella Kennedy first back in 45th, ahead of Isabel Westwood in 69th, Jemima Waller 73rd and Freya Longmead 80th, leading the team to 14th overall.

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The U13 and U15 boys also put in strong team performances, showing definite promise for the future and placing eighth and ninth respectively.

Jude Ryan was first home for the U13s, finishing 21st, followed by

Eddie Holden in 30th, Ed Sankey 42nd , Will Sankey 91st and, returning from a long-term illness, Adam Hursthouse 101st.

Jake Greenhalgh came home first for Mansfield in the U15s’ age group, finishing 27th, ahead of Johar Ali in 52nd, Jake Orr 56th, Sam Knott 67th and Harry Wilkinson 103rd.

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Harry Cocking and Joel Whittaker-Naylor raced for the U17s, crossing the line in 46th and 57th, while Ben Burnham put in a fine shift in the U20s’ race to finish 14th.

The senior women placed 25th, with Bev Armstrong 91st, Alice Mortiboy 107th , Sandra Baguley 111th, Angela Purdue 169th, Jemma Arbon 193rd and Maddy Collinge 206th.

Only two senior men raced, with Craig Linacre 226th and Graeme Baguley 295th.

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