BASINGSTOKE and Mid Hants runners enjoyed plenty of success at the fifth and final Hampshire Cross Country League match of the season.

A strong team travelled to Bournemouth to take part in the league finale, collecting some really good results.

Alex Hamilton came home with the biggest smile on his face after winning the veteran men’s title thanks to a second-place finish, helping his team to fourth place in the overall standings.

The Overton Harriers team did even better, finishing second in the final standings, with Sean Holmes finishing fourth and Lee Tolhurst eighth.

In the senior men’s race, Dave Ragan was on the podium after finishing third. Brendan O’Connor was the second under-20 runner home, finishing seventh overall, while Stephen Reid was the 13th runner home as the team claimed third place in the overall standings.

In the younger age groups, there was a top-10 finish for Cameron Coveney, who claimed ninth place in the under-13 race.

The Down Grange club boasted three athletes in the top 10 of the under-20 women’s race. Freya Davis finished third, with Lucy Wildash sixth and Gemma Bigg 10th.

The result left Davis third in the overall standings, while the women’s team finished third, both on the day and overall.

Overton’s Cath Wheeler finished sixth in the veterans’ race, leaving her fourth in the final standings.

In the under-15 age-group, Maddie Deadman narrowly missed out on overall victory. She finished second at Bournemouth, a result that left her just one point behind the overall winner.

Rebecca Bullock was seventh on the day and 10th overall, with the team coming second on the day and third in the final standings.

There were more good performances from Basingstoke athletes in the Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow Winter Series.

Ryan Bonifas cleared 2m 10cm to win the high jump with a new personal best, while Andy Blow clocked 8.09sec and Sam Sleap 8.62sec in the 60m hurdles.