READING Athletic Club's Jess Gibbon achieved the best victory of her career on Saturday when she raced to success in the senior women's race at the South of England Cross Country Championships held at Parliament Hill in London.

Meanwhile, Georgia Hayes finished in an excellent fourth place in the Under 20 race as she led her team to the silver medals.

The in-form Gibbon has been in outstanding form this winter, and ran away from a strong field to win by 21 seconds as she recorded a time of 28m 41secs for the 8km race.

Second home for Reading was Anna Boniface (30.36) in 11th place, and the scoring team was completed by Sarah Holmes (133rd, 35.26) and Lydia Blythe (140th, 35.41) to give Reading ninth place in the team contest.

Other Reading runners: Julie Rayfield (254th, 39.07) and Linda Church (510th, 46.04).

In the U20 women's 6km race, Hayes bravely recovered from a late fall to just miss out on the medal positions, finishing fourth in 25.21. However, with Kirsty Walker having an excellent race for seventh in 25.54, and both Abi Hancock (33rd, 29.28) and Hermione Walker (50th, 31.37) running well, Reading secured the silver medals.

In the 5km U17 women's race, Naomi Harris finished in sixth in a time of 19.49. She was ably backed up by strong runs from Mia Waldmann (52nd in 22.02), Lara Tolson (84th, 23.22) and Renee Whaley (102nd, 24.29), as Reading claimed seventh.

Reading's U15 girls team in their 4km race were led home by Holly Haldane in 31st place in 18.34, with Evie Elson (39th in 18.40) and Ella Newman (43rd, 18.50) not far behind. Lola Batt (159th in 20.34) completed the scoring team, as Reading finished seventh.

Other runners: Lydia Godfrey (160th, 20.38), Tally Painting (178th, 21.04) and Jemima Crocker (233rd, 22.09).

First in for Reading in the U13 girls race was Lizzie Ryan in 108th place in 14.33, with the scoring team completed by Alex Marden (115th, 14.36) Emma Yeadon (121st, 14.42) and Grace Haldane (131st, 14.48) as Reading finished 20th.

Other runners: Georgie Langdon (204th, 15.47), Poppy Chick (208th, 15.49), Caitlin Haversham (239th, 16.12) and Zoe Rennie (290th, 18.02).

In the U15 boys' 4.5km race, Ollie Craggs (23rd in 15.27) and Chris Parker (32nd in 15.35) were supported by Oli Snoxall (94th in 16.19) and Edward Lewis (17.07) as Reading came ninth in the team contest.

Other runners: George Urwin-Mann (218th in 17.57), Nick Haldane (225th in 18.01), Aidan Marshall (274th, 18.56), Gregor Jones (281st, 19.13), Adam Tivey (282nd, 19.17) and Bradley West (285th, 19.22).

Maddox Gillas ran courageously in the U13s' 3km race to finish 27th in 12.23, and with Samuel Lindsey-Halls (91st in 13.05), Josh Smith (146th in 13.36) and Laurie Hahn (187th in 14.05) completing the scoring team, Reading were 19th.

The non-scoring runner, George Godfrey, was 212th in 14.21.

For the U17 men in their 6km race, Mattie Raynor (59th in 24.30) was Reading's leading runner.

Alfie McGlennon (81st in 25.02), Laurie Baker (111th in 25.44) and (Aryan Gupta 145th in 26.38) gave Reading 15th place.

Other runners: Rohan Brooks (151st in 26.55) and Ben McCabe (170th in 27.41).

In the men's senior race of 15km, Dan Thorne (26th in 50.27), Luc Jolly (59th in 52.22), David Lewis (141st in 55.23) and Ed Stockdale (268th in 58.27) ensured Reading claimed 22nd out of 81 teams.

Other runners: Arturo Martinez De Muruia (382nd in 60.52), Jon Snoxall (599th in 65.01), Nick Huskinson (986th in 76.34), Gerry O'Driscoll (1,051st in 89.41), (1,155th in 99.23).