QEHS did the North East proud at the English Schools’ AA Cross Country Cup Final at the weekend. Two teams (Inter Boys (years 9 and 10) and Senior Girls (years 11-13)) set off for the long journey south on Friday afternoon, their performances at the regional round in Middlesbrough last month having qualified them for the final of this prestigious event. Racing took place on Saturday in very cold and curiously damp sub-zero conditions at Woodbridge School in Suffolk.
QE claimed not one but two top ten finishes in races of around 150 runners. Magnus R (Year 10), just in the top ten for the bulk of the race, brought his 800m expertise to the fore and delivered a stunning final push to cross the line in fourth place. Arthur dL, also Year 10, chased him home to cross the line only a few seconds later in ninth. Ania S (Year 11) was first home for the Senior Girls in 13th. Making up the teams were Year 9 boys Arthur D, Leo dS and Morgan V, and Maria G, Emily L, Emma N and Esmé P from Year 11.
On a team level the Senior Girls, in their first year in this age category, came out on top with 8th place out of 26 teams. The Inter Boys also delivered a strong team performance, coming 14th.
All delivered fantastic performances in a highly competitive field featuring young athletes who are already making a name for themselves at national and international level. Well done!
