The Under-13s girls’ race, which was run over 3km at Parliament Hill Fields on Saturday
THERE was no getting stuck in the mud on Saturday when some of the best athletes in the business flocked to Parliament Hill Fields to take part in the inaugural London International Cross-Country.
The event, which incorporated the British Athletics Cross Challenge and trials for the World University and World Cross-Country Championships, proved a big hit with spectators who turned out in force to cheer the runners on.
Building on the incredible atmosphere generated by Highgate Harriers’ Night of 10,000m PBs, which returns this year on Saturday, May 18, the meet came with all the trimmings: including a large screen that allowed fans to follow all the action, full commentary across an onsite PA system, and tents that runners dashed through that gave onlookers the chance to get up close and personal to every race.
The Under-13s boys’ race
There was also food and drink available, while races were live-streamed online for those watching remotely.
Officials from Highgate Harriers mapped out a challenging course on Hampstead Heath, supported by the City of London Corporation.
The entertainment started out with Under-13s girls and boys’ races run over 3km, while the biggest distance of the day came in the senior men’s and women’s events, where athletes tackled an energy-sapping 10k course.
Abbie Donnelly from Lincoln Wellington AC, and Hugo Milner from Derby, won the senior races, sealing their places at the World Athletics Cross-Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, in March.
European U20 cross-country champion Innes Fitzgerald, from Exeter Harriers, and James Dargan from Aldershot Farnham and District AC, won their respective U20s women’s and men’s events, while Bethan Morley from Leeds and Alex Melloy from Cambridge and Coleridge were victorious in the 4km Open races, which acted as the BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) trial for the World University Cross-Country Championships, which will be held in Oman next month.
