SEVERAL young athletes from Basingstoke and Mid Hants travelled to Southampton to compete for Hampshire in the South East Inter-Counties Schools Cross Country Championships.

The event also doubled up as the Hampshire trials for the English Schools Championships, which will take place next month.

In boggy conditions, Charlotte Chalwin and Lucy Wildash were the top Basingstoke runners, finishing fourth in their respective races. Chalwin was the second Hampshire runner home in the senior girls' race, while Lucy Wildash was the first Hampshire athlete home in the intermediate girls' event.

There was more success in the junior girls' race, with Rebecca Poole the first Hampshire athlete home, finishing fifth overall. Maddie Deadman was 15th and the third Hampshire runner to finish.

Other top 20 placings went to Gemma Wildash and Freya Davis in the senior girls' race. Gemma Wildash was the fourth Hampshire runner home in eighth place, while Davis finished 17th and was the sixth Hampshire runner to finish.

On the boys' side, Callum Cleary was the top Basingstoke performer, finishing eighth in the intermediate race, making him the fifth Hampshire runner home. Brendan O'Connor was ninth in the senior race, the second Hampshire runner home.

Poole maintained her excellent form the following day, finishing first in the under-13 race at the Border League, her third successive win in this competition. Zoe Frost came fifth.

Freddie Guy was eighth in the under-13 boys' race, while Jess Sutton was the first Basingstoke runner home in the under-15 girls' event.