Alice Bates was rewarded for her brilliant early season form with her first England vest to compete in the Home Countries International on 12th November. Alice has consistently been one of the top U20 athletes competing in the Road Relays & opening cross country race at the UK Cross Challenge in Cardiff. This is Alice’s first year over cross country in the U20 age group and this shows just how far she has progressed over the past year.
Alice was selected for her first GB vest in the summer over 1500m competing at the European U18 Championships in Jerusalem, and for her first full England International Alice heads the U20 woman’s team, and will be joined with a senior woman’s team and and senior & U20 men’s teams competing against the best athletes from Scotland Wales & Ireland.
Alice Bates is rewarded with her first England Vest for her terrific early season form
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Alice was delighted with her selection for the England Team, especially over cross country whereby her own admission she has perhaps underperformed in previous years “I was very happy with my performance at the opening UK cross challenge, the race went well proving that I am coming into good shape and able to compete with the best Juniors over cross country”.
Coach Shane Smith was also delighted with Alice’s selection “Alice returned from Jerusalem in the summer following a slightly substandard performance in the final after contracting covid, and has show great character and determined to work her way back into form.” He added “The first thing Alice said after learning that her indifferent performance in the final was down to her contracting covid is that she felt this would motivate her more to get selected for future Internationals and this opportunity has come around remarkably quickly”.
Alice has also targeted a place in the GB U20 team for the European Cross Country Championships in Turin in December, and on her current form she looks to be giving herself every chance to achieve her goal.
Congratulations to Alice on her selection, we wish her the best of luck in 2 weeks time.