Kettering Town Harriers delivered a strong all-round performance at the second fixture of the North Midlands Cross Country League, hosted on home ground at Wicksteed Park. With standout individual runs and solid team efforts across multiple age groups, the club demonstrated both depth in the competing teams and some fantastic individual performances.
Main Highlights
Marianna Owen stormed to victory in the U15 Girls race, clocking 12:48 over the 3km course, almost 15 seconds from the 2nd place athlete. This was a commanding performance from the inform Owen that led the field of both U15G and U13B in the combined race. Owen hit the front from the start and was untroubled over the 3.5km course, controlling the race from the front, and such was her determination to win outright she was locked in battle with the U13B winner Derby’s William Saunders, with both unleashing an impressive finish over the final 150m, with Saunders just out powering her to the line. Elsie Bennett also enjoyed a fine run to finish in a strong 13th place (15:06) to help the girls to a 4th place team finish.
Superb Victory for Marianna Owen in the U15 Girls race
The Harriers U11 Boys put in a hugely impressive performance to finish 3rd in the Team placings with Clark Power also securing and individual 3rd place finish with a very impressive run. Power was locked in battle with school friend and rival Charnwood AC’s Alexander Cave throughout the 2km course with 2nd and third place constantly changing, Cave just managed to edge Power in the final 30m with Power recording a superb 3rd place in 7:09, closely followed by Eoin Fitzpatrick in 7th place who also ran a super race as a lower age athlete to finish 2nd scorer in 7:31 with a fine run from James Lawton as third scorer in 19th place in 8:03.
U11 Boys with best team finish in the day from left to right, James Lawton, Clark Power (Also individual 3rd) & Eoin Fitzpatrick
Ben Scott was the only competitor in the U15B race over the 5k race, and he impressed with a strong finishing in 4th place in 19:06. Scott found himself just of the lead group of x5 athletes on the opening shorter lap, but worked hard over the last 2km to reel in two athletes and hold off a late challenge with a superb race.
Fast finishing Ben Scott 4th place in the U15 Boys race
It was great to see Elana Albery back competing for Kettering in the Red & White hoops leding the senior women’s charge with a strong 12th place finish in 24:24 with a terrific run. Albery is continuing to recover well from a series of injuries, but on this showing she seems to be well on the way back to full fitness. In the U17 Woman’s race over 5km, Iona Ellwood ran a fine race for 8th place overall in 22:41.
Senior Woman's Elana Albery back in the Red & White hoops for a fine 12th place finish
Josh Cannell was the top senior male for Kettering, placing 18th in the 10km race with a time of 36:58 with a superb race, and with good support from Ellis Johnson in 77th place (42:03), Rafal Bozuk 78th (42:07) & Richard Bailey 101st (43:31) to secure a 12th place team finish. Competing for the University of Leicester, George Separovic ran a fine race for 41st overall, (3rd U20) in 39:03.
Senior Men's Josh Cannell holds off a late challenge for a fine 18th place finish
The U13 Boys were out in force, with Callumn Johnson top scoring in 19th place over the 3km course in 14:58, with support from Hal Hawkings in 26th (15:52), Freddie Moore 27th (15:55), Sebastian Knights 29th (16:00) & Max Cochrane 31st (16:29) helping the team to a 7th place finish.
The U17 Men went one better in the team competition finishing in 6th place with a fine run from Harlee Hooker to finish in 7th place in 21:41 over the challenging 6km course. Zachary Scott also ran well to finish in 13th place (23:08) with Finley Brooker the final scorer in 20th place (24:07).
U17 Men with a 6th place team finish from left to right Harlee Hooker, Zachary Scott, Finley Brooker
In the U13 Girls race Olivier Henderson ran well to finish in 19th place just pipping team mate Senudi Wanshanatha into 20th place with both athletes finishing the 3km course with the same time of 15:39 & a 7th place team finish
The U11 Girls saw Amelia Cochrane, making her XC debut, running well for 25th place completing the 2km course in 9:39, while Jessica Bailey finished in 32nd place with a solid run was (10:07).
Well done to everyone who ran