Defending champions Richmond started the new Balfour Beatty London Youth Games season as they mean to go on by retaining their cross country title at Parliament Hill Fields on Saturday. Nearly 1,000 youngsters competed in glorious conditions on the iconic cross country venue, all watched by Team GB Olympic marathon contender Scott Overall, who also competed for the defending Jubilee Trophy winners in his younger years.
On a highly-competitive opening to the new season, there were five boroughs who topped the team standings in at least one of the six age group races. Overall winners Richmond won the under 17 male and female races, Lambeth triumphed in the under 15 males class, Enfield finished top in the under 15 females class, Wandsworth won the under 13 females race and Barnet won the under 13 males event. When the final team totals were added up, Richmond’s gold-medal winning performances in the under 17 races just gave them the edge over last year’s Jubilee Trophy runners-up Wandsworth and Barnet, another top-10 borough from last season.
Afterwards, Richmond’s Borough Team Organiser Elaine Cahill said: “It’s absolutely brilliant to retain the overall team title – I was so nervous. This year we selected the team via a Parkrun event where we chose the top runners. The athletes organise their own training or on their own. Some are natural runners. It’s the start of the 2012 London Youth Games season and it’s a fantastic day. It’s great to be part of it. The children love participating and try to enter as many events as possible.”
Teddington School were represented by Evan James, Jamie Millbank and Sebastian Bray. All ran very well and helped Team Richmond retain the Cross Country Title.
Miss Reynolds
