Who, what and when guide: English Schools Cross Country Champs
Innes FitzGerald and James Dargan are among those in action this weekend as the 63rd boys and 45th girls English Schools Cross Country Championships take place at Pontefract Racecourse on Saturday (March 16).
FitzGerald, from Devon, will be looking to defend her senior girls title after her victory in the under-20 women's race at the Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships and World Trials in Nottingham last Saturday.
The 17-year-old will be ready for one last race before she travels to Belgrade for the World Cross Country Championships on March 30.
Speaking to Vinco Sport, FitzGerald said: "This one is a big one because it will be my last English Schools event. I did my first one in Year 9 and I came way down the field in that one but that was kind of my turning point, it was my first insight into the competitive side of the sport.
"To get an English Schools title is always such an amazing achievement, it's a competition that we target throughout the year, it's such a good springboard from the low-key events.
"There's always the pressure of trying to reclaim your title as a reigning champion but you always have to remember that you don't know what other people are doing and how their training is going, sometimes there's things that you cannot control so I try not to let the nerves get to me."
Other competitors will include Eliza Nicholson from London, who finished second behind FitzGerald at the Inter-counties, West Yorkshire's Rebecca Flaherty, the world mountain running champion who finished second last year, plus Zoe Gilbody from Shropshire, last year's inter girls winner.
In the senior boys race, Hampshire’s James Dargan and Suffolk’s Henry Dover, both selected to represent GB in Belgrade, will put their friendship aside as they go head-to-head for the English Schools title.
They will face tough competition from Aron Gebremariam, the Inter-Counties champion from the West Midlands, who delivered an impressive performance last weekend which saw Dargan finish in second and Dover in fourth.
Dargan told Vinco Sport: “I hit the new year with my entire focus on the World Cross Country Championships, but mainly on the Inter-Counties and English Schools to hopefully then help build up towards Worlds.
“I’m going into it confident, last week [Inter-Counties] was a big confidence boost for me, but I am well aware of what everyone else, and Henry can bring to the table.
“It’s my last one, my final chance to do it as a senior. I got fourth in 2020, 2021 was cancelled from Covid, 2022 I came back and got second and last year I was fourth again so this year I’m looking to hopefully bring it home in a way that I haven’t been able to before.”
Elsewhere, the inter boys race will feature under-15 Inter-Counties winner Joseph Scanes from Kent, who won the junior race last year. Scanes will compete alongside Humberside’s Jack Sanderson, who finished in second last year.
In the inter girls’ category, Olivia Forrest from Essex, who added the under-15 Inter-Counties title to her many victories this winter, will take to the course alongside Leicestershire and Rutland’s Shaikira King who secured second place in 2023.
Diaries at the ready 📔
We’re heading to Pontefract Racecourse in West Yorkshire, on Saturday 16th March, to bring you coverage of the 2024 @SchoolAthletics Cross Country Championships 🏃♂️🏃♀️
🔔 START TIME: 12:00 (GMT).
Click below for the direct stream link 🔗 on the day ⬇️
— Vinco (@VincoSport) March 4, 2024
As for the junior races, Noah Homer from West Midlands is still able to race following a second place finish last year and will be against under-13 Inter-Counties winner Theo Creed from London. While in the junior girls race, fourth place finisher last year, Kitty Scott from Surrey, will compete alongside Inter-Counties under-13 winner Summer Smith.
Timetable
12.30pm – Inter girls
13.00pm – Junior boys
13.30pm – Junior girls
14.00pm – Inter boys
14.35pm – Senior girls
15.05pm – Senior boys
The championships will be available to watch live on Vinco Sport here
