IT has been a fantastic end to the Cross Country Season for Allerton Junior Athletics Club.  Hard work throughout the season has certainly paid off.

Firstly, following a great performance at the Yorkshire Cross Country Championships at Lightwater Valley in January, Allerton Athlete Islay Wilson was invited to run for Yorkshire at the 2023 UK Inter-counties and British Athletics Cross Challenge Final at Prestwold Hall near Loughborough on 11th March 2023.  Islay finished in 142nd place in the U17 Women’s race.  The U17 Women from Yorkshire won the team event.

One week later, Islay Wilson was in action again along with 3 other Allerton Athletes at the English Schools Athletics Association National Cross Country Finals at Wollaton Park near Nottingham on 18th March 2023.  Running for North Yorkshire, Islay Wilson came 135th and Grace Derry 139th in the Intermediate Girls race, and Cameron Henderson came in 300th place in the Junior Boys race.  Martha Shakesheff who was running for Cleveland came 323rd in the Junior Girls race.

Closer to home, there was a good turnout from Allerton athletes for the Birtley Junior Cross Country Relays at the Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy on 12th March 2023.  The Allerton U11 Girls team of Abigail Ferguson, Isabelle Smith and Connie Wilford came a fantastic 1st place with Connie Wilson running the fastest U11 Girls leg of the day.  The Allerton U11 Boys team of Cory Southern, Alfie Clarkson and Ben Green came 3rd. The Allerton U13 Girls team of Holly Nash, Isobel Cook and Maisie Davies came 5th, and the Allerton U15 Girls team of Grace Derry, Amelie Hand and Libby Acton came 4th in a race that consisted of U15, U17 and U20 women.  The Allerton U17 Boys team of Tristan Baker, Noah Wilson and Luan Malan came 5th in the U15, U17, U20 race.

A special mention for Connie Wilford who set a new South Park Junior Park Run 2km course record on 19th March 2023.  Connie now holds course records for Junior 2km Park Runs at Northallerton, Richmond and South Park.

And finally, the National Primary and Year 7 Cross Country Championships were held on Saturday 25th March 2023 at Prestwold Hall.  A record number of Allerton Athletes were selected to run for North Yorkshire in this event and the results were simply superb.  In the Year 5 Races, Abigail Ferguson came a tremendous 10th in the country in the Girls race and Alfie Clarkson 28th in the boys.  In the Year 6 Girls race, Connie Wilford came a fantastic 12th, Georgia Raw 46th, Isabelle Smith 90th and Chloe Atkinson 125th.  Jake Holmes came 60th in the Year 6 Boys race and James Throup came 78th in the Year 7 Boys race.

Head Coach Glen Hilton said ‘What a winter we are having as a club and our brilliant athletes have excelled.  As well as all the medals and County vests we’ve achieved this winter, we have also grown as a club and it’s great seeing young athletes develop and enjoy the sport of athletics.’