Fine end to the cross-country season for Stratford AC

Published: 16:00, 23 February 2023

THERE were medals galore for Stratford AC after the final race of the West Midlands Young Athletes’ Cross-Country League campaign in Wolverhampton.

The gold medal-winning U13B team with coaches Nick Hillard and David Jones. (62553923)

The team finished in third overall, up from fourth last year, with five individual medals (one gold, two bronzes, a fifth and a sixth) and five team medals (one gold, one silver and three bronzes).

Niamh Hillard (10th, 15:50), led the Stratford contingent home in the U17 ladies. She was followed by Maisie-Joy Spriggs (11th, 16:04), Olivia Robinson (13th/,16:11), Abbi Cooper (21st, 16:42), Emily Cottam (32nd, 18:38), Alice Cottam (35th, 18:57) and Tilly Campbell (42nd, 20:34) as the team finished as bronze medallists.

Next was the U11 boys’ team of Toby Ledgard (31st, 6:03), Tom Yates (32nd, 6:04), Callum Linforth (88th, 6:48) and Arthur Chadburn (90th, 6:51) who finished eighth.

Alex Adams (centre) with his individual champion's shield and medal. (62553921)

In the U17 men’s race, Alex Adams (1st, 15:02) clinched his sixth age-group championship and he was followed by Jaicob Ford (14th, 16:56) and Henry Wheeler (24th, 18:06). The team finished third overall to take bronze, with Adams claiming individual gold.

Amelie Marshall (21st, 6:20) was first home for Stratford in the U11 girls’ race. Next to cross the line were Jasmine Mothershaw (25th, 6:23), Maggie Silvers (26th, 6:23), Emily Lambert (30th, 6:26), Martha Edwards (57th, 6:48) and Layla Sparrow (107th, 7:51) as the team finished sixth.

Brothers Zak (13th, 10:37) and Sam Lambert (14th, 10:38) led the way for the club in the U15 boys’ category.

The U13 girls team with their bronze medals. (62553927)

Will Mayes (22nd, 10:53), Tom Fisher (25th, 11:02), James Day (29th, 11:11), Charlie Clayton (52nd, 12:02) and Luca De Freitas Pires (59th, 12:13) completed the team who finished second overall.

The U13 girls’ team won bronze. Lois Ford (13th, 9:25) was first over for Stratford and was closely followed by individual bronze medal winner Marijke Tear-Verweij (14th, 9:25).

Portia Nabney (30th, 9:49), Ava Sheppard (45th, 10:15), Amelia Peeke (53rd, 10:29), Rachel Sparrow (59th, 10:35) and Georgia Sharpe (70th, 10:55) rounded out the team.

There was overall gold for Stratford’s U13 boys’ as they won the league shield. Arthur Williamson (4th, 8:11) was first home and then Will Hovell (5th, 8:12), Joel Ledgard (6th, 8:14), Aran Cooper (9th, 8:29), Sam Plumb (10th, 8:33), Kipp Stevens (22nd, 8:58) and Arthur Mansbridge (33rd, 9:18).

U13B runners Sam Plumb and Aran Cooper with team manager Paul Hawkins. (62553925)

Hovell, Williamson and Cooper all picked up individual medals for finishing in third, fifth and sixth place respectively in the overall standings.

Finally, for the U15 girls, Annie Silvers (7th, 11:54) was the first yellow and black vest to finish. Next over were Martha Peters (41st, 13:42), Tessa Parkin (50th, 14:02), Hannah Wilkinson (53rd, 14:23), Charlotte Skinner (63rd, 15:20), Brooke Rossney (64th, 15:21), Bayleigh Stubbins (65th, 15:22) and Harriet Black (67th, 15:24).

The team finished fifth in the overall standings.

Athletics Stratford AC Stratford-upon-Avon Sport Craig Gibbons