News

Merton Cross Country Championships

December 1st, 2011

 

Thursday 1st December saw the annual secondary Cross Country Championships take place at Joseph Hood recreation ground. This event is used as the qualifier to select Merton’s top athletes to represent the Borough at the Surrey School Cross Country Championships in January. The first 6 athletes to cross the line in each event gain automatic qualification with a further 4 added to the team after discussion. So there was all to race for!
The first race of the day was the year 7 boys and girls. The original plan was to run these in separate races but since they were to run the same course and to give the girls extra competition the two were combined. The girls were not threatened by this and gave the boys a good run for their money! Beatrice Williams from Ursuline especially as she sprinted through the funnel finishing third overall and winning the girls race. It was a 1, 2, 3 for Wimbledon College in the boys race with Kingslby Ezeia taking the overall win. There were mixed emotions as athletes crossed the line, some happy, others disappointed and most exhausted after the hard run. 
Next up was the year 8/9 races. The girls went first with Ursuline taking the top three spots (Aideen Boyle the overall winner), closely followed by Alice and Daisy Setyabule from St Marks. Nathan Inkester from Kings College took the first win of the day for his school in the boys race. 
The Intermediate girls was a very close race dominated by Ursuline athletes. Only one second separated the first four positions and the girls battled all the way to the finishing line. Antonia Drewett was the winner in this very close race.  This was repeated in the senior girls’ race as Alice Hewitt and Hannah Plasckes fought all the way to the line with Alice taking first place on a dip finish.
The Intermediate boys was a lot less nerve racking as Matthew Lloyd stormed to victory winning by over 40 seconds. Thibaud Sulzer and Pavan Kooner completed the podium places for Kings College. Not to be outdone by his Kings College team mates, Hugh Train finished off a successful afternoon for his school winning the senior boys race. 
Results for the first three in each age group follow. Full results can be provided on request.
Year 7 Girls                                                         Year 7 Boys
1st Beatrice Williams (UHS)                           1st Kingslby Ezeia (WC)
2nd Katy-Ann McDonald (UHS)                       2nd Louie Annesley (WC)
3rd Tilly Milburn (UHS)                                      3rd Matthew Beecher (WC)
 
Year 8/9 Girls                                                    Year 8/9 Boys
1st Aideen Boyle (UHS)                                   1st Nathan Inkester (KCs)
2nd  Hannah McGreevy (UHS)                        2nd Neil Wellard (RP)
3rd Eva Clarke (UHS)                                       3rd Linus Kurz (WC)
 
Intermediate Girls                                          Intermediate Boys
1st Antonia Drewett (UHS)                            1st Matthew Lloyd (KCS)
2nd Claire Rogers (UHS)                              2nd Thibaud Sulzer (KCS)
3rd Jenny Williams (UHS)                             3rd Pavan Kooner (KCS)
 
Senior Girls                                                        Senior Boys
1st Alice Hewitt (KCS)                                      1st Hugh Train (KCS)
2nd Hannah Plasckes (KCS)                         2nd Alex Cousins (WC)
                                                                           3rd Oscar Golden-Lee (WC)
 
Well done to all athletes who competed and congratulations to the athletes who have been selected to represent Merton in the Surrey Schools Cross Country Championships. A full team list will be published on the web closer to the event with all information required.
Thank you to Pete Shilling and the BTEC leaders from Wimbledon College for their help at the event. And also Sue Shilling and Don Turner who helped with time keeping.