Medal success for Lewes AC runners at the Sussex Cross Country Championships

The team claimed the gold medal position for the first time in the club’s history beating the Brighton and Hove team into second place with Hailsham Harriers in third place.

Izzy Coomber had a storming run to finish in third place overall and just missed winning the silver medal by a mere 5 seconds. Izzy led the team of Gina Wlison (8th), Caitlin Lloyd (10th) and Megan Taylor (13th) into first place to record the historic win for the Lewes club. Showing the strength in depth of the women’s section of the club the B team of Sally Norris, Emma Rollings, Helen Sida and Dinah Godfree secured 5th place for the team. It is a great result to have two teams in the top five in the County.

The senior men’s team just missed winning a team medal by finishing in fourth place. Tom Evans had a tremendous battle for second place with Kevin Moore from the Brighton & Hove club. It was neck and neck all the way with the Lewes runner winning the silver medal although both runners were given the same time at the finish. Patrick Hough, Matt Bradford, Lewis Sida, Chris Gilbert and Lee Woodgate with Tom Evans made up the Lewes team.

Also in winning form was Jack Gardner who won the race for boys aged under 13. With Fenton Davoren in 11th place and Luca Buckley-Macdonald in 20th place secured the team the bronze medal position. The boys B team of Stan Pendered, Leo Boyes and Finlay Braund came in a very creditable 12th position.

Moving up an age group the Lewes under 15 boys team also secured a team bronze medal. The team was led by Will Carey who finished in third place in the race thereby wining an individual bronze medal. Ben Walters in 12th position and Sam horn in 25th place made up the bronze medal winning team.

The girls under 15 team finished in fourth place. The team members and their positions were Rosie Gainsford (11th) Chloe Kornevall (17th) Beth Gainsford (19th) and Heather Baty (21st)

Although not part of the Championship there were two races for young athletes aged under 11. In the boys race there were 7 Lewes athletes taking part with 8 girls competing in their race. The leading Lewes AC runners in the boys race were Max Gardner in 4th place and Gabriel Penrose in 6th place. The leading Lewes AC runners in the girls race were Rosie Kornevall in 10thplace, Rebecka Greenwood 12th and Zoe Wright in 13th place.