18 of the Kettering Town Harriers Middle Distance Squad qualified for the English Schools National Championships in a brilliant weekend of running at the Anglian Trophy, the selection race for the most prestigious championship race of the season. The Anglian Trophy was hosted by Suffolk Schools at the wonderful surrounding of Woodbridge School, with the course situated within the school grounds. The course was a true cross country test with some incredibly steep hills to navigate, with undulating ground and a firm dry surface adding to the challenge.
There were some brilliant individual performances with two third place finishes securing Bronze medals for Jemima Davey & Alice Bates, and a further 3 top 10 placings (4th place for Jess Lamb & 9th for Alice Bennet) and 9 of the athletes qualifying for English Schools for the very first time, which this year is being held in Kent on 19th March. Qualification for the Northants County team was top 7 for automatic place, with 8th the possible subject of an appeal from athletes not able to compete.
The Harriers got off to a great start with the Senior Girls Race, with Alice Bates leading the charge for the Northants team and securing a fine Bronze medal in a high quality field, matching the Bronze she won in 2019 in the same competition. Bates immediately sat in the lead group of 3 athletes from the start as the trio set a frantic pace on the first of the two 1.9km loops. Norfolk’s Hattie Reynolds, the eventual winner, managed to breakaway on the second lap and Bates was unable to hold onto Lincolnshire’s India Barwell during the hilly section of the course as she opened a gap, finishing the 3.8 k course in 14:56 and top scoring for the County. Madeline Mayes followed up her fine run at County Schools to qualify for the County team in 15th place (4th Northants athlete) in 16:44, with Abigail Thayanithy finishing in 19th place also making the County team with a solid run in 17:01. Julia Buzuk & Toni Roinson also made the County team finishing in 48th & 49th respectively.
Alice Bates superb run to finish in third place overal and land a Bronze medal
There was a terrific Junior Girls race with Cambridgeshire’s bottom year Jemima Davey winning the second Bronze medal on the day, which saw a further 4 Harriers qualify for their County teams. Davey was locked in a three way battle for much of the race and was just dropped on the second of the two 1600m loops, Davey looked slightly leggy over the final km perhaps feeling the effects from the Southern Area Champs victory the preceding week, was unable to respond to the break but ran a fine race to complete the 3.2k course in 12:53. There was rich pickings for the Northants contingent with Iona Ellwood running a terrific race to finish in 21st overall and 4th Northants scorer, with County Champions Maggie Gancheva not at her best & struggling on the day in 26th (5th Northants), and Evie Brooker bettering her 9th place finish at County schools taking the 7th automatic Northants County team position with a fantastic run in 32nd place.
Jemima Davey (66) a terrific three way battle to win the Bronze medal
The Minor girls race saw a much improved performance from Jessica Lamb with a superb race to finish in 4th place. Lamb is steadily getting back to her best, and she ran the race positively sitting in 2nd place for much of the short 2.3k course finishing in 9:47. Peyton Almond also ran a fine race finishing in 13th place overall (3rd Northants finisher) in 10:23, with both girls eligible for English Schools next season this was great experience for them. In the corresponding Minor Boys race, Harlee Hooker had a great run to finish in 26th & 2nd Northants scorer, one better than the County Championships. Oliver Smith also ran well, but found the going hard finishing in 59th place & 8th finisher for Northants.
Jess Lamb (left) powering her way to a fine 4th place finish
In the Junior Boys race there were two qualifiers with Dylan Ransom running well in 48th place & George Sharpe in 57th both taking the 6th & 7th automatic qualifying spots for the Northants County Team. Bottom year Finley Brooker & Zachary Scott both struggled against their older and more physical opponents finishing in 64th & 71st respectively, both will be more competitive in 2023.
Alice Bennett competing in the inter girls race ran a terrific race over the 3.8k course to finish in 9th place in 16:16 as 2nd Northants qualifier in what was her penultimate XC race of the season. Bennett competes next weekend in the England Athletics U17 Indoor Championships over 800m, and will be hopeful of securing a podium finish as the UK leading U17 in 2022. The only other Harrier competing in this AG was Pippa Moore who finished in 30th place for Cambridgeshire in 17:07. For the Inter Boys Lucas Rogers had another great race finishing the tough 5.7k course in 21:47 in 23rd position as second Northants scorer, new recruit Joseph Pickering also secured qualification for the County team finishing in 31st with a fine run as 4th Northants athlete in 22:12. Dylan White making his way back to fitness after an injury was unfortunate to finish just out of the team positions as 9th Northants athlete, 47th overall in 22:45.
Alice Bennett (449) fantastic run for 9th place in her penultimate XC race.
The Senior Boys race with three large laps over 6.9k saw Rio Carr & Lucas Mansell locked together and both enjoying a fine race to finish in 23rd & 24th respectively in an identical time on the line of 25:59 and importantly 3/4th Northants athlete to ensure selection. Josh Geddes also ran a fine race for 31st & 6th Northants athlete in 26:36, as did Ben Brooker who was sadly run out of the qualifying places over the last km finishing as 9th Northants athlete in 38th position (27:14)
Lucas Mansell & Rio Carr locked in battle throughout and finished with an identical time!
Further afield the Harriers secured Senior Girls selection in the Warwickshire team with a fantastic first place for Elsie Robinson, and for the Leicestershire team Demi Locker also ran well to finish in 4th place in her trial race.
This is a record number of athletes qualifying for English Schools, and testament to the hard work the athletes put in all weathers over the winter period. Well done to everyone who ran.