A RECORD total of 21 juniors from Tavistock Athletic Club raced on Saturday in the Cornish and Devon County Schools’ Cross Country Champion-ships.

The club athletes once again proved their mettle with some stunning results. In the Cornwall Schools races held at Newquay, Tilly McDowell was the star of the day as she became champion in the inter girls category. Brad Stevens had a strong run in fifth place in the inter boys race and Michael Barton equalled that fifth place in the senior boys. This could be crucial for Michael as the race was also being used as a run-off for the inter-county team selection and he outsprinted Archie Vingoe his competitor for a team place.

At the Devon County Schools the club had 16 athletes competing at the Stover course. The first club medallist was Krystina Cade with a really strong run on the muddy course to pick up a silver in the junior girls’ race. Emma Ryder in the senior girls worked hard to secure bronze in the senior girls race.

Overall the club is expecting around 11 or 12 athletes to gain county selection for the SW Schools and English Schools Championships in March, which is a tribute to the work the athletes have been putting in under the Tavistock Athletic Club coaches.

Results: Cornwall Schools Champion-ships (Newquay): Minor boys, 13th Jacob Holland; inter boys, fifth Bradley Stevens; senior boys, fifth Michael Barton; inter girls, first Tilly McDowell.

Devon Schools Championships (Stover): Minor girls, 25th Hannah Walker, 31st Emma Luckham, 36th Charlotte Walker; junior girls, second Krystina Cade, 10th Charlotte Tilney; inter girls, fourth Natasha Farrington, 11th Issy Dunlop; senior girls, third Emma Ryder; minor boys, eighth William White, 33rd Noah Bridle, 36th Ewan Dix; junior boys, sixth Euan Botham, seventh William Russell, eighth Joe Dix; 21st Dan Luckham; inter boys, 22nd Jake Wimbush; senior boys, 8th Tom Brew.