Met League race 4: Young Athletes
A sunny but cold day greeted our young athletes at a mud-bound Perivale course. Although a better turnout than the previous Met League race, we were still down on numbers on the girls' side. On a positive note we had three podium places plus another four runners in the top 8. The squad was added to by the arrival of Kai Boggon, a former Essex Schools Champion and Cambridgeshire Under 11s Champion.
Photos (by Alex Wardle)
The first race, the Under 11s, over a course of approximately 2K, saw Maxwell Chinn lead throughout only to be jumped by two runners on the final 300 metres as he placed 3rd. Jimmy Geller had another excellent run for 7th place, 20 seconds behind Maxwell. Just behind Jimmy, in 8th, was a great run from Luca Gormley. In 20th spot and also running well was Sid Cody. In the girls race over the same distance, young 9 year old Holly Hudson (pictured below right) had another excellent showing for 6th, with Sydney Jay in 20th spot.
The Under 13 Boys race was an excellent day for our runners. Sidnie Ward, Kai Boggon and guest runner Joe Morgan, running for Harlow, followed a Herts Phoenix athlete in the early stages until the three Harlow-based athletes took control. Sidnie Ward came strongly through to win his third Met League in a row, with Kai Boggon having an excellent run on his debut for us in 3rd spot.
Behind those lads was another good showing from Liam Waldron in 19th spot. Bradley Jay showed improved form for 38th, just ahead of Rhys Edwards who was gallant in the mud, placing 41st. Fred Taylor, a regular trainer at Ashton, was 54th, with Woody Hudson in 61st place.
In the Girls Under 13s race we had just two runners, who both performed well. Hollie McArdell, still only 11, placed 20th, with Georgina Handford, reliable as ever in 21st place.
The Under 15 Boys race saw Hayden Maleary produce perhaps our best run of the day in 8th place, just over 90 seconds behind the highly rated Herts Phoenix runner Jamie Philpott, with Joe Geller (pictured above left) who slightly injured his leg on the latter part of this testing course, in 13th place. Todd Maleary, despite not being well, would never let his club down and placed 30th. 
Harry Cavell (pictured left) is one of the most reliable members of our young squad and this proved the case as he placed a praiseworthy 16th in the Under 17 Men’s race.
Siena Taylor also showed much improved form for an excellent 14th in the Under 15 Girls race.