TAVISTOCK athlete Oliver Smart is proving unstoppable this cross country season.
At the weekend, the Mount Kelly College pupil added the South West Schools’ title to his list of honours.
He triumphed in the intermediate boys’ race at Stover by an impressive 24 seconds, despite being in his first year at that age group.
Smart’s success followed on from winning the South West Inter-Counties under-15 title and the Devon Schools’ crown last month, plus triumphing in all the Westward Cross Country League meetings to date this season.
At a muddy Stover, Smart, competing for Devon, won in 21.11 minutes, with Avon’s Sam Gentry taking second in 21.35 and Devon’s Flynn Jennings winning bronze in 21.40 minutes.
Smart’s Tavistock team-mate Bradley Stevens, competing for Cornwall, finished eighth in 22.10.
Devon won the team award in that age group and also in the minor girls, intermediate girls, minor boys and junior boys’ races.
Smart’s medal was one of six Devon won in the individual races.
Ivybridge Community College pupil Iona Farquarhson just missed out on a podium spot in the minor girls’ race. She finished fourth, with her Devon team-mate Scarlett Livingstone, of Colyton, winning.
Mount Kelly College and Tavistock runner Natasha Farrington finished sixth in the intermediate girls’ race, where Stover’s Chloe Olford took third. Tavistock’s Tily McDowell, running for Cornwall, just missed out on a top 10 finish, coming 12th.
There was a top 10 finish for Devonport High School for Girls’ Emily Cornish, who came eighth in the junior girls’ race.
Ivybridge Community College’s Erme Valley athlete Joe Battershill just missed out on the top 10 in the senior boys’ race. He came 11th in a strong field.