Invicta Athletics Club News

Cross Challenge 2009 - Liverpool

Young Reds learn to cope at highest level in Liverpool mud

Kieran Reilly, Rebecca Weston, Emily Hosker Thornhill (all u-17) and Jason Prickett (u-20) all tasted high level of national competition at the McCain UK Cross Challenge in marshy conditions at Liverpool's Sefton Park at the weekend.
All 4 raced and finished strongly as they came through the learning process with flying colours in races which also doubled as trials for team selection to represent Britain in the European Championships next month.
In his first of 3 seasons at u-20, Jason Prickett (70th) is pictured right half way round the European trial where he finished closer to leading Kent rivals than he did all last season.
Kieran Reilly (far right) consolidated his improving form by finishing inside the top 30 as he used his now trade-mark sprint finish to overhaul 4 older rivals up the incline of the last 200m, catching one, right on the line.
The u-17 and u-20 females all competed together in a combined race for places in the GB team for Europe - all contenders (except our own Beth Carter) were there, including Tonbridge's Grace Nicholls, winner of 2 Senior Women's Kent League races this season.
Rebecca Weston (RIGHT) was a confident 57th overall and 22nd u-17, finishing less than a minute behind Nicholls, 20th overall and 14th u20 - click the photo of Rebecca to better see the mud all over her back.
Meanwhile, Emily Hosker Thornhill confirmed her own steady improvement when storming home as 3rd Kent finisher behind Rebecca and Grace Nicholls.
Emily crossed the line strongly in 77th overall and 33rd u-17 in deep mud, among a clutch of rivals from as far apart as Cardiff and Hull and, only 44 seconds behind Rebecca

Click underlined text for details...Cross Challenge - Liverpool 2009 - Results