TOP athletes from schools in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire area braved the downpours on Saturday to take part in the Hereford and Worcester Schools’ Cross Country Championships.

Pupils from schools in Redditch and Bromsgrove were in good form at Hereford Racecourse, despite soggy conditions.

The heavy rain had turned parts of the venue into a mud bath, providing a true challenge for the competitors who were also fighting for places to represent the county at the New Balance English Schools’ Cross Country Championships, which will take place at Wollaton Park in Nottingham next month.

The junior girls (Years 8 and 9) race was won by Christopher Whitehead (Worcester) pupil Rosie Webb, who was followed in by Hereford Cathedral School’s Lucy Austin and Anna Nicod from St Augustine’s in Redditch.

In the junior boys competition, Lady Hawkins’ (nr Hereford) Sam Roberts took the county schools’ championship title, followed in by Lawrence Hooker from Malvern College and Lachlan MacPhail from King Charles in Kidderminster.

Two more St Augustine’s athletes earned county selection, this time in the intermediate girls competition.

Ellen Bowen finished second and Alice Battey third, while the event was won by Bromsgrove School’s Abigail Saker.

The intermediate boys competition was won by RSA Arrowvale’s (Redditch) Gareth Richardson, with South Bromsgrove’s Tom Bailey taking the runner-up spot and Tom Deykin from Trinity High (Redditch) third.

Worcester City District schools dominated the senior girls competition (Years 12 and 13), with Worcester Sixth Form College’s Sophie Tothill taking the title, followed by Royal Grammar School’s Nixie Turner and The Kings School’s Helen Jubb.

Dan Stock, also from The Kings School in Worcester, won the senior boys race, with Waseley Hills’ (Rubery) Conor Smith placing second and Lewis Sternkopf from Royal Grammar in Worcester runner-up.

In the inter-district team competition, Worcester City won four age groups, with Redditch District taking the other two.