LWAC - English Schools XC - Chelmsford

Lincoln Wellington Athletic Club (LWAC)
© LWAC 2000-2002 - last updated 12 March 2002

English Schools XC Championships
Chelmsford
9 March 2002

Lincoln Wellington’s Rachael Nathan has achieved her major ambition for the winter season by becoming the English Schools Intermediate girl’s cross country champion. With a huge field of over 330 of the best athletes in the country the opposition was formidable but the Wellington youngster was a very decisive winner and crossed the line 15 seconds clear of her nearest pursuer. With near gale force winds sweeping across the wide open spaces of Chelmsford’s Hylands Park Nathan very sensibly took shelter in the leading pack until well past halfway. A decisive strike for home with just over half a mile left immediately took her clear and despite the up hill finish into the teeth of the gale she drew right away to win impressively. She will now lead the England Schools team in a home countries international race at Alfreton, Derbyshire in two weeks time and that event will bring a highly successful winter season to a close. Sarah Coates continued her recent good form in the same race and an excellent run took her across the line in 78th place. She looks well set for a rewarding track season. Alice Thomas did well to gain selection for the event after a difficult winter. She kept going in determined style to finish 300th and should be encouraged by her performance.

Another outstanding Wellington performance came from Josh Stone in the junior boy’s race. He was never far off the pace and was still running pretty strongly when he hit the line in a superb 21st place in the days biggest field of 337 finishers. Tom Herbert had his first taste of competition at this level and did well to finish 230th. Harriet Needham is another of Wellington’s talented youngsters and she also ran a corker to finish 55th in the junior girl’s race. Sarah Kimpton and Rachel Humberstone were never far apart and ran in together in 278th and 279th respectively. In the senior boy’s race Jason Hall’s run for 71st place was a useful effort as he was not feeling too well prior to the start. Roy Smith was always a little further back but a creditable effort saw him home in 95th spot. Richard Ellis found the opposition pretty tough but kept going well to finish 272nd. Matt Hughes has worked hard on his stamina during the winter and 123rd place in the intermediate boy’s race was a very good performance. He will now be relishing the thought of returning to 800m on the track. Ian Kimpton was a little outpaced in the early stages but worked through well towards the end to finish 256th. Holly Needham had her best run of the winter to finish 133rd in the senior girl’s race with Vicky Roach pleased to come 265th in the same race after missing a big chunk of the winter due to injury.

Contact LWAC via	at info@lwac.org.uk (general enquiries) at website@lwac.org.uk (for website updates, news, results or comments)
Return to previous page
Return to LWAC Home page