Kent’s under-17 men won the South of England Inter-Counties Cross-Country title at Shotover Country Park, Oxford on Saturday, writes Alan Newman.

Alasdair Kinloch (Tonbridge) led the charge with a battling display for individual silver behind Mahamed Mahamed of Hampshire. Euan Nicholls (Tonbridge, 10th), Jake Berry (Medway and Maidstone, 13th) and Joss Barber (Blackheath and Bromley, 17th) secured the team gold medals.

Both under-15 quartets claimed team silver. Surrey pipped Kent in the girls’ race as Holly Page (Dartford Harriers) picked up the individual silver medal. Naomi Kingston (Blackheath, sixth), Yasmin Austridge (Blackheath, 10th) and Chloe Sharp (Dartford Harriers, 14th) completed the scoring team.

James Puxty (Tonbridge, fourth) was five seconds behind the bronze winner in the under-15 boys’ race. With support from Noah Armitage-Hookes (Cambridge Harriers, seventh), Daniel Blades (Tonbridge, ninth) and Christian Lee (Tonbridge, 21st) the team silver medals were assured.

The under-20 women and senior women’s teams both struck bronze. Amy Old (Invicta East Kent, fourth) led her under-20 team-mates Chloe Bird (Tonbridge, 12th), Sian Driscoll (Tonbridge, 22nd) and Lilly Coward (Invicta, 26th).

Lucy Reid (Tonbridge, sixth) headed the Kent challenge in the senior women’s race and the team was completed by master athletes W40 Carole Penlington (Blackheath, 19th), W35 Alice Heather-Hayes (Tunbridge Wells Harriers, 24th) and W45 Maria Heslop (Paddock Wood, 32nd).

Reid was awarded individual gold in this race and Caroline Ford (Cambridge Harriers) took bronze in the jointly held under-23 category.

Earlier the under-13 age-groups had been held with the boys’ team fourth, James Kingston (Tonbridge, 14th) featuring prominently.