IT was a successful day for Reading Athletic Club’s young male members at Wormwood Scrubs on Saturday in the Southern Cross Country Relay Championships, as both the Under 17 and U13 teams won bronze medals, with the U15s narrowly missing out in fourth place.

The usual fast and fairly flat course was this year made more difficult by the strong gusty wind which the competitors had to run into at the start and finish of each stage.

However, Eddie Steveni made light of the conditions on the first leg of the U17s 3x3km race, as he sped round in the impressive time of 10min 39secs to finish as not just the leading U17 runner, but with the fastest time of the day in his age group.

Tom Nike was undaunted in being given the lead, but despite his efforts was unable to avoid dropping two positions on stage two, recording 11.40. On the final leg, Joseph Mott, while unable to make up ground on the leaders, maintained Reading’s third place behind Windsor and Chiltern as he held off his pursuers with a well-judged effort in a time of 11.15.

Meanwhile, Ben Rollings ran well in the conditions to finish in 13th place on the first stage for an incomplete B team, recording 11.50.

In the U13s 3x2km race Fraser Bradshaw gave the team a good start on the opening stage, finishing 12th in 7.39.

Ollie Craggs then set about chasing down those in front, and by the finish had improved Reading’s position to fifth in a very quick 7.12, the day’s fourth fastest U13 time.

At first, Aidan Marshall on the final stage was content to stay in fifth, but his finishing burst was enough to bring the team through to fourth behind North Norfolk, Chiltern and Chiltern B, as he recorded 7.46. However, with B teams ineligible for medals, this was good enough to win Reading bronze.

For the U13 B team, Charlie Rickards (7.52), Dylan Madden (8.23) and Elliott McCarthy (9.22) ended 21st.

On the opening stage of the U15 3x2km race, Leon Bradshaw showed a welcome return to form as he ran 6.45, fifth fastest of the day, to finish in third place.

Olly Moor then fought hard to keep Reading in the hunt for medals, eventually finishing in a very close fourth place behind Hillingdon, Chiltern and Windsor, recording 7.16.

Tom Rickards did his utmost on the final stage, but at the death just could not beat the Windsor athlete and had to settle for fourth place in a time of 6.51.

For the B team, Jack Webb (7.04), Sam Kral-Waters’ (7.56) and Laurie Baker (7.30) sealed 18th position.