TAVISTOCK College’s Thomas Hennessey produced an impressive run to win the minor boys’ title at the South West Schools’ Cross Country Championships at Blaise Castle at the weekend.

Hennessey had won the Devon Schools’ title and had claimed bronze in the South West Inter-Counties Championship last month.

But the Tavistock AC athlete went even better in Bristol, holding off the challenge of Avon’s Freddie Barnes and Dorset’s Connor Grocott in the closing stages after the three broke clear of the rest of the field.

Hennessey was one of five Tavistock College runners who competed for Devon at the weekend. He was joined by Alistair Graham, Lormorna Cox, Fynn Baker and Hannah Walker.

Graham joined Hennessey and Mount Kelly College’s Freddie Whybrow in helping Devon claim bronze in the minor boys’ team event, while Cox was part of the junior girls’ squad that took team silver and Walker the senior girls’ squad that finished third.

Saltash Community School’s Cornwall champion Holly Reid enjoyed a good run in the intermediate girls’ race, finishing fourth, with her City of Plymouth team-mate and Devon champion Molly Shorey (Plymouth College) sixth.

There was also a fourth-place finish for Eggbuckland’s City of Plymouth athlete Isaac Lamerton in the junior boys’ race, where Devon totally dominated the team event with four runners in the top 10, including Ivybridge’s Luke Hayes, who came ninth.

Full results can be found HERE 

Meanwhile on the road, Tamar Trotters’ Bex Ezra-Ham was in top form on Sunday to win a high-class Newquay 10k.

Ezra-Ham clocked a PB time of 36.25 minutes to take victory in a race that saw eight women go under 40 minutes, including Erme Valley Cleo Perry, who was second F50 behind fellow masters international Emma Stepto.

Tavistock Run Project’s Jim Cole was sixth overall and first M40 in 33.11 minutes. The race was won by Cornwall AC’s Sam Goodchild.

Tamar Trotters’ Oliver Oldfield finished just behind Cole in seventh.

Run Project’s Alex Peyton-Jones was third M40 in 35.30, while Plymouth Harriers’ Steve Hill took the M45 title in 36.33 minutes. Tamar Trotters’ Steve Baker was first M65.

Plymouth Harriers’ Ami Peyton-Jones was second F40 in 43.20 minutes, while East Cornwall Harriers’ Sharon Daw was first F55 in 44.33 minutes.

There were also age group titles for East Cornwall’s Revis Crowle (F60) and Tamar Trotters’ Linda Tout (F70).

Full results can be found HERE.