SIXTEEN Team East Lothian (TEL) athletes travelled to the Scottish Athletics East District Cross Country Championships at Aberdeen’s Balgownie Playing Fields earlier this month.
Temperatures were below zero and the ground was ice-hard and slippery, making the conditions difficult underfoot.
However, the conditions did not stop some fantastic results for East Lothian’s athletes.
First off was the under-13 girls’ 3.2km race, where Imogen Turner led from the start to take the win in 11 minutes and 10 seconds.
Morven Kenny (11m30s) came home in fifth place, Ava Rose Curtis (12m00s) in 11th and Tessa Russell (12m02s) in 12th.
With those excellent performances, the under-13 girls also won team gold.
The under-13 boys ran the same course as the under-13 girls and the race was fast from the gun in a very competitive field.
Tom Ibbs had a fantastic race to come home in 10th place, with a time of 10 minutes and 48 seconds.
Next up was the under-15 girls’ race.
Flora Lawson had a great run over the 4.2km course and came home in a time of 16 minutes and six seconds to take 16th place overall.
Sula Russell dug deep to come home in 25th place, one second under 17 minutes.
In the highly competitive under-15 boys’ race, Joe Smith came home in 13 minutes and 28 seconds for seventh place; Jake Page was close behind in 13 minutes and 37 seconds in eighth.
Not far behind were Thomas Gornall in 14 minutes and 10 seconds for 14th place, Jacob Lamb in 15 minutes and 25 seconds for 26th place, and Luke Mercer in 15 minutes and 45 seconds in 28th place.
The excellent performances from the under-15 boys’ earned them a team silver medal.
The under-17 course was a two-lap 5.7km route and first up were the men.
Ronnie Brown ran an excellently timed race to move through the sharp end of the field and take a very well-deserved silver medal in 17 minutes and 12 seconds.
Charlie Copp ran well to come home in 26th place in a time of 18 minutes and 50 seconds.
Finally, in the under-20 men’s 6.4km race, Aidan Page ran an excellent 20 minutes and 51 seconds to come home in seventh place, while Jamie Smith placed 18th in a time of 22 minutes and 19 seconds.
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