Joel Doye wins National Cross Country bronze
In his last event as a Junior, Joel Doye ran a smart and strong race to take a thrilling bronze medal in the 2024 National Cross Country Championships at Weston Park, Shropshire.
This event was postponed from its original and traditional February slot owing to flooding, and the contrast could scarcely have been greater, with sunshine, 20C temperatures and a firm (though by no means easy) course. Overall numbers of participants were significantly down on the usual, but races were just as competitive at the front, and there were strong turnouts from clubs eyeing titles and medals.
10 minutes into the 10k Junior men’s race Joel had settled onto the back of the leading pack of 9 runners. He continued to stick just behind the leaders as more fast starters fell away, until at the start of the final long lap with 4k to go there were only 5 in contention. At this point George Ogden of South London Harriers attacked, and together with Aron Gebremariam of Birchfield rapidly built up a lead over the chasing pack of Joel, Tom Chandler of Aldershot and Mark Ruby of Poole. Next time the leaders emerged from the furthest reaches of the course, Gebremarian had broken away, and he soloed to victory by almost 30 seconds. In the same section, Joel too found an extra gear that Chandler and Ruby could not match, and by the finishing straight he had built up a buffer of around 6 seconds that he maintained to cross the line in 3rd place. Joel is Woodford’s first National medallist in this category since Ronnie Sparke also took bronze in 2009.
The five senior Woodford men who had made the long journey from the south and east just had time to cheer Joel down the (agonisingly long) finishing straight before squeezing through the (unnecessarily narrow - some traditions never change) gate to the start area for their 12k race. Tom Beedell, Tom Adolphus, and Angus Holford all netted ‘National PBs’ by position, with Dan Steel missing this landmark by a frustrating one position, and Bertie Powell belying recent injury problems to deliver a solid run. Tom Beedell capitalised best, to finish 44th, taking the scalps of several Highgate rivals and second-claimer James Stockings (running for Hercules Wimbledon) who finished 54th. Tom Adolphus, who is “the fittest he’s ever been” was 109th. He held firm around this position all race, a target who Angus Holford thought he had the measure of at mid-race, but Angus faded slightly to 117th. The gap between these two picks up where they had left off at the last Met League race in February. Dan Steel backed off in the middle lap of three due to pain in his Achilles but shepherded himself through to 155th. Bertie Powell’s 241st is his best National position since coming 131st at Alton Towers in 2011. Bristol and West narrowly beat Highgate to the team title, with Leeds City in third.
Having officially concluded the 2023/24 winter season 11 months after it started, thoughts now turn to the start of the 2024/25 season. The first Met League is just four weeks, and the National a mere 5 months!
Results
Junior start at 3h31. Joel finishes at 4h08. Senior start at 4h11, winner finishes at 4h52.