CROSS COUNTRY: Four county team golds and three individual titles for Rugby & Northampton AC

Overall mens winner at the Northants Championships, Rugby & Northampton ACs Josh Lay, Tony Love his coach, then brother John Love ( winner of lifetime contribution to sport at the 2019 Northants sports awards), and U17 winner Fergus Scott ( also coached by Tony Love )

Wellingborough & District AC played host to the Northamptonshire Cross Country Championships. The event was held at Croyland Park for the sixth time in the last 25 years and Rugby & Northampton AC came away with four team gold medals and three individual titles.

Junior International athlete Josh Lay stormed to victory to win the Senior men’s race in 31:17 over the 10km four-lap course. The 19-year old R&Nrunner was 45 seconds clear of clubmate Dominic Jones to become only the third U20 athlete to defeat all the Seniors since they were amalgamated into one race in 1982.

Jones had the consolation of receiving the Senior men’s gold medal.

William Gardner finished in 4th spot on 32:55 to score in the team for the sixth time in the last seven years, while Jack Bond clinched 7th position with 33:48 and Duncan Birtwistle was 9th on 35:06.

Completing the scoring six for the club was Junior James Wizard on 36:09 in 10th place, which sealed him the bronze medal in his age category.

Rugby & Northampton took the title in the team race for the fourth successive year by 20 points from Kettering Town Harriers.

The U17M raced over 6000m and Fergus Scott retained his title, winning by over a minute in 19:09. Finlay Ward and Jude Kelly backed him up for another team win in 4th and 5th respectively, both clocking 21:23

Jasper Cooper won silver in the U15 Boys event over 5000m in 18:56 and with Ned Gilford in 6th ( 19:50 ) and Louis Starr 11th ( 21:06 ) it gave the R&N team victory by just one point.

The U11 Boys contested a 2000m course and Jake Clarke recorded 7:29 for second place, which helped the squad to gold in the team competition with Joseph Boyle finishing 5th (7:55 ) and Freddie Windrum in 9th on 8:32.

R&N also won silver in the U13 Girls event over 3500m. The team included Jemima Cooper in 6th (14:47), Sophie Hancock 7th (15:01) and Georgia Gercs 11th in 15:40. The boys’ race saw Thomas Church 6th in 13:38. With Charlie Gibbs in 11th on 15:04 and Jacob Palmer 13th (15:16 ) this clinched the team a bronze medal.

Claudia Terrell also won bronze in the U11 Girls race over 2000m with 8:46.