Local Schools’ Cross Country Meet, Lowndes Park, Chesham - Saturday 4th March 2017

Sixteen schools participated in the last local schools’ meet of the season with well over 540 individual competitors. With the National ISA finals at Princethorpe postponed, it left these Gateway children available to run for the school at this event. Fifty-nine children were selected for Gateway with 54 running on the day.

As usual, there were eight separate races during the morning. The Year 3 and 4 children competed over 1400m and the 5s and 6s over a 1750m course. This is probably the hardest course that the children have to tackle in the local school meets with a steep 200m hill near to the start of the race that proves very challenging, especially if you run up it too fast!. It was made harder this year due to the sticky, muddy conditions. Zach Y, Rose H, Isabella B and Dylan W, Marcus M all made their debut for the team and deserve praise for completing the course! Hundreds of spectators lined the route to cheer on the children.

Medals were awarded to the top ten finishers in each race. Team positions are calculated by adding the scores of the top three runners from each school with medals being awarded to the first four schools.

Year 3 Boys; Zach C made it a hat-trick of consecutive wins when he crossed the line first to a rousing cheer. Ed S recorded his best position, coming 4th; Charlie DS put in a strong performance to come 15th. These boys were delighted to be awarded Team Gold!

The Year 3 girls also ran strongly with Katie A and Charlotte G continuing to perform highly. Katie came 4th and Charlotte 11th, just missing out on a medal! Darcy Y ran well to come 23rd and help secure Bronze team medals.

Kie W also paced himself sensibly and was the first Gateway boy home in the Year 4 race, coming 15th. Will S was close behind in 18th, a great improvement, and Savva N finished 28th.

In the girls’ race, Josie R put in a gritty performance to grab the 10th place medal with Beth T 21st and Penelope L in 28th position.

In the Year 5 competition, despite playing in a tough football tournament the previous day, George C paced himself superbly to come 5th, Aidan D was 37th and Hugh P was 40th.

In the Year 5 girls’ race Marea L showed her class, by coming 3rd, against strong opposition. Penny D also showed great determination to secure 7th place and Savarnah P was delighted to come 14th. This team won Bronze team medals.

After leading for most of the Y6 race, Oakley D was involved in a thrilling sprint finish that saw the lead change back and forth in the last 50m before both runners plunged over the finishing line in a ‘photo’ finish.The race was adjudged a tie! This was Oakley’s 5th consecutive 1st place; a fantastic feat. Ollie L stormed home in 8th and Felix P, returned to the team with a powerful run, finishing 13th. This trio gained Silver team medals.

In the last race of the day, (Year 6 girls) Jemma T finished in 8th to secure another individual medal; Lucy A was 16th and Abi H was close on her heels in 17th.

Nicola Alburg, the local schools Cross Country Chairperson congratulated all the children on their magnificent effort. It was heartening to see the sheer determination from all the runners and they can be really proud of themselves.

We will keep all those runners, who qualified to run in the National ISA Finals, posted, if a new date for this event is released. (HJ)