THE youngest members starred when Oswestry Olympians Juniors competed in their first cross country race of the season.

Joseph Barlow won the U11 boys’ race and both boys and girls U11 teams ended third.

Competing against clubs from across the Shropshire, the U11 girls were first to take on the 1500m course at Much Wenlock.

Ava Walton and Mya Jones both finished in the top ten before Amelia Douglas and Frankie Keller added valuable points to secure third place for their team.

U13 Boys Brennan Ellis, Seth Baillie, Lewis Dutton and Finley Jones. (Image: Public.) Joseph Barlow dominated the U11 boys’ race winning by a clear four seconds. Good runs by Max Jones, Jack Griffiths and Luke Dimelow enabled the boys to match the girls’ team by finishing third.

The first to face the notorious ‘Windmill Hill’ were the U15 Girls, with Gabriella Inglis-Downes reaping the benefit of her regular commitment at training by claiming seventh place in the 3,000m race and be in consideration for a place in the Shropshire team for another year.

Also securing a top ten finish was U17 Harry Tidridge taking on 5km and the hill twice in the longest race of the day.

OTHER NEWS:

U13 Girls Hannah Newman, Mia Dimelow and Evie Griffiths (Image: Public.) In an effort to speed up the meeting the U13 Boys and Girls ran together over the same 3,000m course but with results awarded separately. Both teams ended up fourth.

Of the Olympian boys, first home was Lewis Dutton closely followed by Finley Jones and Seth Baillie whilst Hannah Newman, Evie Griffiths and Mia Dimelow all finished in the top 20 in the girls’ race.

U11 Girls Ava Walton, Amelia Douglas, Frankie Keller and Mya Jones with team manager Kate Hotchkiss (Image: Public.) Team ,anagers Tracy Bathers and Kate Hotchkiss were delighted with the performances of all the Oswestry athletes, several of whom were  making their club debuts, but paid particular tribute to the commitment of some of the boys who had who had travelled to Much Wenlock after playing for their football teams earlier in the day.

The next Shropshire Young Athletes League Cross Country race will be on Sunday, October 20th at Packwood Haugh School, Ruyton-XI-Towns.