A very successful day of racing at the Hampshire Cross Country Championships in Botley on Saturday saw 65 Basingstoke & Mid Hants AC athletes bring home three team and four individual medals, write Leigh Henderson.

There was a bronze medal for Celeste Vickers in the 2km under-11 girls race. The under 13 girls team won gold for the first time over 3.1km with Daisy Allford (8th), Lily Mae Lancaster Evans (9th), Uma Doublet (10th) & Georgia Barrett (11th).

It was team silver for the under-17 girls at 5.2km thanks to Megan Hope 7th, Sienna Richardson 9th and Isabelle Law a magnificent 13th showing a return to her previous form.

The senior women went one better than last time with a magnificent individual silver and the Club’s first ever team gold after four years of improving results following decades of no team results. Kate Estlea took silver overall and led the club to team gold courtesy of four top-10 finishers in the 8.4km event. Kate was backed up strongly by Maddie Deadman (4th), Charlotte Ragan (6th) and Charlotte Chalwin (9th).

Not to be outdone, veterans Alex Hamilton (45) and Mark Slaney (60) won their respective age categories in the senior mens’ race over 12 kilometres.