Small but fabulously formed 2026 Hampshire team
Eleven athletes travelled to Fairthorne Manor in Botley on Saturday 3rd January to compete in the Hampshire Cross Country County Championships 🏃♀️🏃♂️. For the time of year, the weather was really beautiful — crisp and cold, but bright and clear ❄️☀️, making it a great day for racing. Underfoot, however, it was a proper winter cross-country challenge, with frozen ground in places and a smattering of ice, particularly on the cambered hairpins winding through the woodland 🌲.
Despite fielding a much smaller contingent than usual, the athletes made a big impact across the day 💪. The standout performance came from Bradley Andrews-Callec, who ran a superb race to take the gold medal in the Under-20 Men’s event 🥇 — a fantastic achievement at county level. There was more medal success for Bobbi Billington, who showed great determination to secure silver in the Under-13 Girls’ race 🥈 against strong competition.
There were strong performances throughout the age groups 👏. In the Under-15 Boys, Leo Gage ran consistently to finish an impressive 5th place 🔥. The Under-17 Men’s race saw a trio of athletes representing the club, with Zane Simpson finishing 6th 💨, Ewan Pilley close behind in 7th, and Samuel Oldham rounding things off in 20th, all showing grit on a demanding course. The team finished 4th overall.
In the Senior Women’s race, Helen Hadjam represented the Club well, tackling the tough conditions with determination finishing in 30th in a field of 67 🏃♀️. The Under-15 Girls included Lula Burton and Niamh Church, both racing at county level for the first time 🌟, alongside more seasoned athlete Florence Williams. All three handled the occasion brilliantly, gaining valuable experience and confidence. Niamh Church had a solid run to finish in 5th, Florence battled hard to secure 9th and Lula, showing huge determination, finished in 27th.
Luke Holmes took on the challenge of the Senior Men’s race, finishing a strong 12th place 👊 in a competitive field. Across all races, it was great to see every athlete manage to stay on their feet 👍, despite some particularly slippery cambered sections and tight hairpins in the woods — no small achievement given the icy patches!
After the racing was done, some of the athletes rounded off the day by celebrating together at an all-you-can-eat buffet 🍽️🎉. With tired legs and big appetites, there were some mighty performances off the course as well, as athletes refuelled and relived the day’s races. It was a great chance to relax, enjoy each other’s company, and reflect on a successful championship outing. The day will undoubtedly provide a huge confidence boost for all our athletes, especially those with an eye on English Schools selection, and it was encouraging to see such commitment, resilience, and team spirit on display throughout the championships 🤝.
Our thanks, as always, goes to the Coaches for their support with these overseas competitions and Jersey Sport.
