PLYMOUTH athletes Poppy Tank and Will Battershill impressed at the English Schools’ Cross Country Championships at Blackburn’s Witton Park.
City of Plymouth runner Tank finished just outside the medals in fourth place in the senior girls’ race.
The Plymouth College pupil was Devon’s best finisher on the day and was only four seconds off third-placed athlete Daisy D’Santos.
Lincolnshire’s Abbie Donnelly won the race in a time of 15.49 seconds. She was followed home by Essex’s Gemma Holloway in 16.00, with D’Santos finishing in 16.04 and Tank clocking 16.08.
Tank’s City of Plymouth AC colleague Victoria Weir was Devon’s next best finisher in that race finishing 30th in 17.07.
English intermediate boys’ steeplechase champion Battershill impressed on his debut in the senior age group, finishing fifth in a thrilling race.
In terms of time, Erme Valley runner Battershill was even closer to a medal than Tank with just six second separating second from fifth.
The senior boys’ race was won comfortably by Southampton’s Mahammed Mahammed in 24.15, but the rest of the medal placings were decided with a sprint finish.
Somerset’s Oliver Fox took second in 24.40, with North Yorkshire’s Sam Dickinson third in 24.43, Surrey’s Gus Cockle fourth in 24.44 and Battershill fifth in 24.46.
Ivybridge Community College pupil Battershill had finished fifth in the lower age group in last year’s Championship and so will be encouraged by his performance against older athletes.