Over the last few weeks, we've noted the steady improvement in form by U17 Mathew Shirling... from a disappointing 4th in the Merseyside Cross-Country, via a convincing victory in the Northern Indoors 1500m, to a promising run in the Northern Cross-Country, where he was at the front and looking great most of the way before fading badly in the last kilometre.  Then yesterday, at Parliament Hill Fields in London, he took the U17 English National title.  After tracking the leaders most of the way, he broke clear on the fast finish - coming home by just one second but looking very much in command.

There were some good team performances too: the U17 Women were 7th (led by Katherine Walker who finished an excellent 18th)and the Senior Women ran superbly to come 6th, just behind Aldershot.  Our Senior Men, with a much depleted team, came only 21st, but Dan Cliffe (in his sunglasses, of course!) again showed his class with 34th out of the field of around 1700 runners.