ATHLETICS: Naylor on song in 'brutal' race (From Oxford Mail)

ATHLETICS: Naylor on song in 'brutal' race

10:00am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Athletics By Ed Mezzetti

STEVE Naylor continued his strong start to 2012 with a 12th-place finish in the South of England Cross Country Championships at Stanmer Park, Brighton.

The 32-year-old, from Woodstock, helped his first-claim club Bedford & County to a team silver medal after completing the “brutal” 15km course in 50mins 56secs.

Naylor said: “I crossed the line in 12th knowing that I was shattered, but also over the moon with my result.”

Oxfordshire cross country champion Naylor spent most of the race in ninth or tenth place, battling with Bedford teammate Darren Deed.

“Running together worked well for us and for a while it looked like we were reeling the eighth-place runner in,” said Naylor.

“During the last lap though, I think the distance and toughness started to take its toll.

“The people getting lapped were literally walking up the hills and I had two runners hot on my heels.

“They had obviously saved something and all I could do was try and hang onto them up the last few hills.”

Naylor plans to run round four of the Oxford Mail Cross Country League at Cirencester on Sunday as he continues his title defence.

He will then compete for a North of England team at the Armagh International 5km road race on Thursday.

Headington Roadrunner Chris Dettmar finished 82nd in 55.26, while Paul Jegou (White Horse Harriers) was 197th in 59.23.

Jude Craft was the leading Oxfordshire finisher in the ladies’ race over 8km.

The Headington athlete came 46th in 33.28, while clubmate Charlotte Harris was 64th in 34.31.

Fiona Bunn produced the best performance of her young career to finish 18th in the under 13 girls’ race.

The Abingdon Ambler clocked 11mins 39secs for the 3km course and was less than a minute behind the Goddard twins, from Bracknell, who finished first and second.

Bunn’s effort came after she finished second in the Oxfordshire Schools’ Championships.

White Horse Harriers trio Sophie Lloyd, Mitch Lomas and Jonathan Cornish came in the top 50 of their respective events at Stanmer Park.

Lloyd was 42nd in the under 17 girls’ race over 5km in a time of 19.58, while Lomas clocked 22.11 to finish 45th in the under 17 boys’ race over 6km.

Cornish recorded 29.57 for his 50th place in the under 20 men’s race over 8km.

OTHER RESULTS

White Horse Harriers: 643 M Ward 1.18.18, 680 D Stringfellow 1.21.53, 725 J Smeddle 1.32.41.