THURROCK athletes Gemma Holloway and Tom Richardson both had fine runs at the English Cross-Country Championships at London’s Parliament Hill.
Holloway, 17, finished eighth in the under-20 women’s race despite being in the bottom year in the age group.
The Thurrock Harrier was in the mix with the leading group for much of the race before falling away on the last lap of one of the toughest cross-country course around.
Gemma Holloway
Richardson from East Tilbury, also cracked the top 10 in the under-20 men’s race.
The Basildon AC athlete ran a controlled race through the bog of Parliament Hill and had a storming finish where he picked off a handful of rivals to claim an impressive 10th spot.
Plenty of Thurrock Harriers took on a course which is steeped in history for the club with Harriers legend Mel Batty winning the men’s race there in 1965.
Harriers only team to finish was the under-13 boys squad which closed in at an admirable 16th place.
They were led, as always, by the talented Harry Parker 44th with Leon Wheeler just behind in 48th, his best run of the winter.
Harry Parker
Finley Lowe ran well for 140th while Ben Prior, fighting off the effects of a cold, was 288th.
In the senior men’s race, Alex Houghton had his best run of the season to finish 235th.
Scott Rice ploughed through the mud to finish 669th, a pleasing effort.
Thurrock’s other finishers on the gruelling courses were in the under-13 girls where Hayley Instance battled to 65th. In the same age group Kiera Scott was 257th and Amy Raven 371st.
Amber Pullinger was the best of the rest finishing 184th in the under-15 girls race. In the same race Heather Peters was 243rd and Lucie Ball 303rd.
Other results: under 15 boys Jack Exley 168th; under 17 men Sam Smith 193rd; under 17 women Brooke Mensah 181st.
* In the Dunton Test Track 10 miles road race, four of the five Harriers who toed the start line clocked PBs.
Nick Trencher was 13th in 64m47s, Jason Syrett 15th in 65m18s, Toby Draper 17th in 66m09s and John Russell 19th in 66m30s.
Pat Dobbs finished 177th in 90m17s.
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