Shropshire Star

Shropshire Schools Cross Country Championship runners hit the mark

Liam Rawlings and Eva Wade shone in the sunshine to complete impressive hat-tricks in the Shropshire Schools Cross Country Championships.

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Oswestry School was the venue for the event with hundreds of students from almost all Shropshire secondary schools taking part in eight races.

And Rawlings, from Corbet School, Baschurch, was one of the star performers on the day as he made it three consecutive first places as he successfully defended the junior boys' title he won last year.

That success followed on from winning the year seven race in 2015.

Shrewsbury School's Tom Jackson the runner-up, 24 seconds adrift, as he improved on his fourth-place finish last year.

Louix Tziortzis-Foskett (William Brookes School) claimed the brozne medal.

The team honours went to Shrewsbury School for the third consecutive year after they had three runners in the top 10.

Wrekin College came home second with Thomas Telford completing the top three.

Thomas Telford's Wade was also celebrating a treble.

She won her third cross country title after crossing the line first in the senior girls race.

Dominated

The success followed her victories in the Shropshire AA under-17 and Shropshire League.

Twins Olivia and Melissa Mann (Shrewsbury Sixth Form College) were second and third.

Wrekin College took the team title for the first time since 2010.

Freddie Huxley Fielding (Shrewsbury School) was another impressive champion as he dominated the senior boys' race, coming home first in a time of 18 minutes 11 seconds which was almost a minute clear of his nearest rival, team-mate Will Hayward.

It is the first Shropshire Schools title Huxley Fielding has won after finishing second last year. Thomas Telford's Dylan Gillett, bagged the bronze.

Shrewsbury School, recent winners of the prestigious Knol Run in Kent, were once again the dominant team after packing eight boys in the top 10 to take the title that they have won every year since 2009.

Maddy Williams powered to victory in the Intermediate girls' race.

Williams (Shrewsbury High School) has made a dramatic improvement over the last 12 months having finished ninth in the junior girls' race last year.

She moved up an age group and claimed the title to add to her fine victory in the Shropshire AA Championships at Attingham Park in January.

Lakelands' Hannah Shakeshaft was second while another runner in her first year in this age group, Jess Humphreys (Thomas Telford) was third.

Meole Brace School, with three girls in the top 10, took the team title – their first ever schools county success for girls and their first in any age group since 1998 when they won the junior boys' trophy.

Shrewsbury School's Sam Western bagged his first title after finishing second in the junior boys' event 12 months ago.

John Richards (Adams Grammar School) showed a massive improvement from 14th last year to take the silver medal. Jack Pickett (Lakelands) completed the top three.

Shrewsbury School added another team title to their haul with Adams Grammar second.

Francesca Harris (Shrewsbury School) enjoyed her first appearance at the championships.

The National Prep Schools 1500m champion claimed a comfortable victory in the junior girls' race in 9.56.

Cameron Ellie Mande, from Burton Borough, improved from fifth last year to take the silver medal.

Megan Davies, from Thomas Telford, second in the year seven race 12 months ago, took home the bronze.

Bridgnorth Endowed School were the top team on the day – their first title since they won the same age group in 1995.

Oldbury Wells' Daniel Galloway (pictured right) ran away from the field to record an impressive victory in the year seven boys' race.

Galloway was over 30 seconds clear of his nearest rival, Archie Wickens (Bridgnorth Endowed), with Idsall's Joe Drakeley completing the top three.

Shrewsbury's Priory School took the team award with 57 points, with Oswestry second and Adams Grammar School third.

This is fantastic achievement for the school, having never won a Shropshire Schools team title since current records began in 1978.

Beth Rawlinson, who has really impressed throughout the season after finishing third in the Inter County race in November, winning the Shropshire League and finishing second in the Shropshire AA Championships, won her first Shropshire Schools title.

She powered home in the year seven girls' race to become Church Stretton School's the first county champion in this age group since 2003.

Iris Downes (Prestfelde) was just eight seconds behind in second place with Keira Adcock (Burton Borough School) third.

Thomas Telford School, led home by Elizabeth Veitch in fourth place, won the team event in this age group for the first time since 2008. Marches School, Oswestry were and Priory School third.

The first six in the junior intermediate and senior age groups have been automatically selected to represent Shropshire in the English Schools Championships in Norwich in March.

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