10:55am Thursday 26th November 2009
By Tom Pollak
Sutton schoolboy Tom Holden narrowly won the boys’ U13 race at the South of England inter-counties championships.
The 12-year-old, who lives in Carshalton Beeches and attends Wilson’s School, led from the start and finished in 10 minutes, seven seconds, five seconds clear of his nearest rival.
“I enjoy the mud of Parliament Hill Fields,” he said, after making light of tricky conditions caused by the recent heavy rain.
The win follows his victory in the Lord Mayor’s Mile in London and a Surrey League young athletes’ race at Coulsdon, which both took place last weekend.
Holden next races in the third Surrey League event of the season at Petersham on December 12.
He led Surrey to the team silver medals, with Herne Hill’s Lascelles Hussey eighth (10:32).
Hussey was second Surrey team scorer and won the London individual title, decided in conjunction with the event.
Sutton & District’s James Hancock finished outside the scoring four in 38th place (11:16).
Epsom & Ewell’s Lucy Drummond took silver in the girls’ U13 race.
Making her debut at Parliament Hill, the 13-year-old was just three seconds off the gold medal in 11:12.
Drummond, who attends Rosebery School in Epsom, also led Surrey to team silver.
Her performance confirmed her rating as Surrey’s top runner in her age group this season, after winning both of the opening Surrey Ladies League races at Reigate and Dorking.
Hercules Wimbledon’s Eleanor Smith-Hahn finished outside the scoring four in 54th place (12:42).
Surrey also produced the individual silver medallist in the boys’ U15 4km championships in Peter Chambers, who was just five seconds behind the winner. He led the county to bronze team medals.
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk