COVENTRY GODIVA HARRIERS senior ladies’ team ran to an impressive 17th place finish overall at the English National Cross Country Championships.
Senior ladies’ runner Julie Emmerson was the highest Godiva finisher on the day as she came home 12th to become the club’s 2022 champion.
And Joe McLeod became men’s club champion after placing 270th in the men’s race atPicture c.
Coventry ‘s big team were joined by fellow local clubs Northbrook AC, Rugby and Northampton and Warwick University on the coach to the capital.
However, many of Godiva’s youngsters were unable to make the trip to London with Emma Jackson, Adam Jackson and Will Chalmers competing in the under-17 women’s and under-17 men’s race respectively.
And it was the club’s senior ladies’ team who stole the show with Emmerson closely followed by international triathlete Sian Rainsley in 18th whilst Amelia Starling 161st and Penny Oliver 279th completing the team.
That was enough for the ladies to finish 17th overall, out of a total of 104 teams, with 470 points which marked their best performance since 2013.
Other ladies finishers included: Sophia Charters 638th, Eleanor Crossland 645th, Rachel Aldrich 693rd and Victoria Wilson 839th whilst Flavie Rasson forced to pull out due to a sore Achilles.
Elsewhere, in the junior women’s race, Freya Bennett impressed to come home in 26th with Samantha Puri 113th whilst Dan Gaggini placed 207th in the junior men’s race with the latter pair now moving up to the senior category having competed in their last under-20 race.
And McLeod was first home for the men with Scott Hudspith 315th, Matt Battley 330th, Jamie Hnatushka 394th, Damien Chambefort in 409th and Sam Marshall in 545th.
This left the men in 28th place overall on the day, out of 133 clubs, improving on their 29th place finish at the 2020 edition.
Other men’s finishers included: Clark Roberts 624th, Stefan Schlag 1010th, Pete Eccleston 1031st, Dan Dalton 1036th, Matt Hadlum 1097th, John Treadwell 1357th, Anthony Mitrofaniuk 1381st, Nick Bennett 1451st, Joe Chalmers 1546th, Jose Gonzalez 1596th, Simon Clarke 1925th, Martin Slevin 1983rd and Garry Flude 2000th.
