2021-22 Met League 4: U15/U17

A cold, dreary day greeted our runners for the fourth fixture of the league. Once again our Junior Men and Women were much depleted due to yet another fixture clash, this time the Essex Schools.

Going into the match we held an 8 point lead over London Heathside in the Howard Williams Junior Trophy. We wondered with so many absent could we hold onto our overall lead by the close of play that day.

Well the U11/13s gave us a great start with winning teams from three of the four races so it was crunch time.

For the combined U15/17 boys race with around 80 starting we had seven starters.

Sid Cody was our sole representative for the U17 but he had a fine race for 12th in his age group, some18 places better than his last outing. Sid will now be working hard to have a good run in the Hertfordshire Schools in three weeks time.

In the Under 15 boys, with around 45 starters, Nate Harding produced a great race to place 4th, just seven seconds down on the winner Charlie Brook from St Mary’s Richmond. Oscar Farthing Barbero was next home and, although not liking the muddy conditions underfoot, he still ran well for 15th. Godwinner Nkebani also produced his best run for 26th, just ahead of a much improving Vladimirs Kalinin in 27th. On his first outing for us Max Koscheck was 30th, with Aidan O’Driscoll 36th.

This was a great showing from our lads on this heavy course which gave us 7th on the day but more importantly 4th in the league for this age group.

We were hit hard in the Junior Women’s race with just Emma Lord competing. Emma is so reliable and dedicated and she stuck to the task well to place 12th in the Under 17 women’s race. The Junior Women stay 5th in the league for their age group.

Would this overall be enough to hang on to our overall lead? Later in the evening the Team Manager could be seen pouring a large glass of red wine as the news filtered through we were still 8 points ahead in the Howard Williams Trophy.

The final match is like a “home” match, being at Trent Park where many of the older athletes train on a Sunday morning with Richard Thurston. We will have the majority of our U15/17 runners back so they can all enjoy the day.

A huge well done to all who competed that day.