YOUNGSTERS from Halesowen showed their potential at the West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League event last Sunday.

The freezing temperatures and sprinkling of snow didn’t put Halesowen’s junior athletes off as they travelled to Burbage Common near Nuneaton for the fourth fixture in the competition.

Overall in the team competition, Rugby and Northamptonshire finished the day in the lead, with Halesowen placing sixth out of the 20 clubs participating. Final standings will be determined at the fifth and final fixture next month in Perry Park.

It was an excellent day for Halesowen’s ladies, who won the under-17 team competition, with Abigail Saker first home over the 2.5-mile course in 19.06, with teammate Lily Higgins right behind her in second (19.11). Katrina Simpson completed the team.

A time of 13.43 was all it took for the Rugby athlete to win the under-15 girls two-mile race. Orla Walker was first in for Halesowen in 15.17, placing 24th.

In the girls under-13 competition, it was a Coventry first in with a time of 12.20 over the 1.5-mile course. Grace Pritchard was the first Halesowen athlete home in 14th place in 13.03.

The under-11 girls one-mile race was won by a Wolverhampton and Bilston athlete in 6.58. Halesowen’s Louise Osborne ran 7.39 to break into the top 10 in ninth place, with Keriann Huxley not far behind in 12th (7.41) and Ryley Malone-Priest in 16th (7.47).

Together with Abigale Richard and Amelia Hartshorn they claimed second place in their team category.

It was Bromsgrove and Redditch who took the win in the three mile under 17 men’s race in a time of 18.00. First in for Halesowen was Kieran Walker placing 15th in 19.43.

In a two mile race which saw a Rugby athlete over the line first in 11.57, Dominic Price was first in for Halesowen in 14.04 and placing 41st.

The under 13 boys took on 1.5 mile course which was won by a Solihull and Small Heath athlete in 11.23. First in for Halesowen was Max Price placing 11th with a time of 12.13. Sam Mannings wasn’t far behind in 13th (12.18).

It was a Stratford athlete who won the under 11 boys one mile run which he did in 6.24. Callum Wilkinson was first in for Halesowen placing 22nd in 7.13.

The previous week saw Hales athletes at the Worcestershire Athletics Association Cross Country Championships at Warley Woods.

The event, on Saturday, January 9, not only enabled athletes to test themselves against the best in the region but also provided the opportunity for those athletes finishing in the top six to gain automatic selection to the Worcestershire County Team for the national Inter Counties Cross Country Championships.

In the under-13 girls race, Halesowen’s Grace Pritchard took third place to win a bronze medal and secure her place in the County team.

Together with Eleanor Stark (seventh) and Falan Malone-Priest (ninth). Halesowen also won the Worcestershire Championships Team Competition.

There was another bronze medal in the under 13 boys competition with three of their athletes qualifying to wear the county vest in March. Max Price finished third, Sam Mannings fourth and Owen Jinks sixth together taking the silver in the team competition.

Orla Walker and Elspeth Wright qualified for the County Team finishing fifth and sixth respectively and together with Megan Parker took the silver in the under 15 girls team competition.

Mirroring the girls, the under 15 boys also took fifth and sixth place through Charles Sapwell and Lachlan Macphail taking the silver in the team competition helped by Dominic Price, who placed ninth.

The under 17 ladies team boasted both a silver medal for Lily Higgins and a bronze for Abigail Saker. Halesowen also saw Isabel James (fourth), Livvy Worth (fifth) and Katrina Simpson (sixth) claim county team places. Halesowen claim the team competition win here also.

Two of Halesowen’s under 17 men also claimed places in the County Team. Kieran Walker finished fourth and Sam Taylor sixth.

The under-20 men won the team competition due to Josh Timmins finishing second to take the silver medal in the individual competition, Alex Barker taking the bronze and Peter Dear placing fourth.