CROSS COUNTRY: Club's first ever regional relay medal

Rugby & Northampton ACs bronze-medal winning team (from left) Will Gardner, Adam Searle, Abedom Beyene and Alistair McDonnell

PICTURES BY BRYAN ACFORD

On Saturday Rugby & Northampton senior men claimed their first ever Midlands cross country medal at the annual cross country relays.The event was run over a flat two-lap course in Wolverhampton, with 63 teams taking part.The R&N team was led off by Abedom Beyene, who brought the team back in seventh place and within striking distance of the leading teams in 19.33. Alistair Mcdonnell (19.29) produced another outstanding performance to pull back one place and he handed over to Adam Searle (19.59), making his debut for the senior team. Adam pulled back a further two places, leaving William Gardner within reach of a medal. William set off at a furious pace and soon overtook third and closed in on second. This gap proved just too much as he finished in 19.11, just 10 seconds behind the second place team, StokeThe individual performance of the day went to Muss-Ab Hassan, competing for the B team. Muss-Ab was the quickest of all the R&N athletes as he finished fourth on the opening leg in 19.09.Haydn Arnall (20:11), Joe Musgrove (21:47) and Sam Blackshaw (22:13) all ran well as the Rugby & Northampton B team came home in a very respectable 10th place