Saturday 7th January saw a highlight of the season with the annual Kent Cross Country
Championships at Brands Hatch. Conditions were tough with squally showers and a strong
wind but this did not deter the athletes. Canterbury based Invicta East Kent AC took a strong
team that did not disappoint.
Stars of the show were the trio of Jake Stevens, Noah Paterson and Adam Whitlock who
finished 1st 2nd and 3rd in the men’s U17 race. In the senior men’s race which was the longest
and hardest race of the day, held over 12k, Cole Gibbens put in a superb performance for 5th
place, followed home by Marcus Etheridge in 13th place, Oliver Weston 22nd , Tom Storer 30th
and Chris Fullerton 37th .
There were several other top 10 performances against the best in Kent. These included
Jamie Keir who was 4th in the Men’s U20 race. The ladies U20 team of Amy Goodhand, Teigan
Sullivan and Millie Knightley all ran well finishing 5th , 7th and 10th winning the bronze team
medal. In the boys U13 race Jasper Carroll finished 7 th just ahead of Jonson Foster who was
8th .
Most of these athletes will have a chance of being chosen to represent Kent in the
forthcoming Inter-Counties Championship to be held in Leicestershire in March.
The full results are as follows:
U13G: Lucy Steer 27th, Lois Baisley 33rd, Eva Hiney 37th (39 finishers)
U13B: Jasper Carroll 7th, Jonson Foster 8th, Will Brocklebank 59th (71 finishers)
U15G: Zoe Vallis 22nd, Jessica Stark 34th (45 finishers)
U15B: Seb Sanz-Kozyra 17th, Roddy Ostle 28th, Nate Thomson 30th, Alfie Parker 38th,
Taylor Cope 49th (56 finishers)
U17W: Eliza Mills 17th, Zoe Rogers 21st (24 finishers)
U17M: Jake Stevens 1st, Noah Paterson 2nd, Adam Whitlock 3rd (28 finishers)
U20W: Amy Goodhand 5th, Teigan Sullivan 7th, Millie Knightley 10th (21 finishers)
U20M: Jamie Keir 4th (20 finishers)
SM: Cole Gibbens 5th, Marcus Etheridge 13th, Oliver Weston 22nd, Tom Storer 30th, Chris
Fullerton 37th (206 finishers)
Jake Stevens powers home to U17M Gold (photo credit Joe Griffiths)
