ANOTHER terrific run from Reading Athletic Club's Jess Gibbon saw her just miss out on the medals in the senior women's race at the National Cross Country Championships at Nottingham on Saturday.

In other races, Reading's junior women's team finished fourth, while Naomi Harris was eighth individually in the Under 17 race.

In the senior women's 8km race, run on an extremely wet and muddy course at Wollaton Park, southern champion Gibbon was among the leading group from the start, coping well with the conditions in the early stages.

Reading Chronicle:

However, when the eventual medallists broke away in the second half of the race, Gibbon did not quite have the strength to go with them.

Yet a fast-finishing burst took her clear of the chasing pack to secure fourth place in a time of 33min 56secs.

Reading's Naomi Mitchell also had a fine run to finish 25th of the more than 900 finishers in a time of 35.57, while Anna Boniface ran extremely well for 44th place in 37.11.

Reading Chronicle:

Reading's junior women were led home in their 6km race by Kirsty Walker in an excellent 12th place, recording 27.30.

She was well backed up by strong runs from Abi Hancock (56th in 29.52) and Katie Rodda (61st in 30.26), with Reading finishing fourth in the team contest.

Reading Chronicle:

In the U17 5km women's race, Harris ran strongly throughout to gain a brilliant eighth-place finish in a time of 22.30.

Second home for Reading was Lara Tolson in 77th place (24.44), and they were backed up by Renee Whalley (158th, 26.56) and Evie Warren (194th, 28.12) to give the team ninth.

Reading Chronicle:

Reading's Evie Elson and Ella Newman both had splendid runs in the 4km U15 girls' race, and could hardly be separated at the finish, with Elson in 63rd in 21.20 and Newman in 65th with the same time.

Third home for Reading was Lola Batt in 189th (23.04), and Talia Painting's 261st place in 24.32 gave Reading 15th in the team competition, while Lydia Godfrey also ran well for 283rd in 25.00.

In the 3km U13 girls' race, Alex Marden led Reading home in 162nd place in a time of 18.18, not far ahead of Rachel Burchardt (181st in 18.36). Emma Yeadon finished 199th in 18.51, and the team was completed by Lizzie Ryan (226th, 19.16), giving Reading 22nd place.

In the U15 boys' 4km race, Chris Parker and Ollie Craggs both started strongly, running in the first 50 or so, with the former maintaining his effort to finish in a fine 44th place with a time of 18.01, and Craggs hanging on well for 61st in 18.14.

Oli Snoxall was never far behind, and finished powerfully for 77th place in 18.28.

Reading Chronicle:

The scoring team was completed by Edward Lewis, whose determined running gained him 155th place, recording 19.28.

Reading's total of 337 gave them a fine eighth place in the team competition, while George Urwin-Mann kept going well to finish 241st in 20.35, as did Aidan Marshall, despite twisting his ankle at one point, as he placed 320th in 22.29.

Maddox Gillas, in the U13 boys' 3km race, made a brave start to be in the top 20 after about 800m, and although he slipped back somewhat as the race developed, he finished in an excellent 47th place with a time of 15.50.

Reading Chronicle:

Tommy Elson ran well to be Reading's second finisher with 215th place in 17.32, not far ahead of a gritty run from Josh Smith in 239th (17.47). Just behind were Reading's final scorer, Jacob Sheikh, with a good run for 244th in 17.51, and the determined George Godfrey (261st in 18.01), as the team finished 24th.

Reading's U17s had only two competitors in their 6km race, where Mattie Raynor did himself no favours with a slowish start.

However, he pulled himself up to 126th place at the finish in a time of 26.20, while Laurie Baker competed well for 160th in 26.57.

Reading's U20 men's team of James Fox (81st in 41.34), Ben Rollings (89th in 42.00), James Rennie (92nd in 42.20) and Eddie Steveni (116th in 43.42) claimed a very respectable sixth place.

Alex Sutton (124th in 48.28) was the first Reading runner home in the men's senior race, followed by Luc Jolly (193rd in 49.52) and Callum Gillett.

Martin Turton crossed in 212th in 50.14, with David Lewis (380th in 52.59) and Ed Stockdale (420th in 53.39) completing the team.

Unfortunately, Gillett – who crossed the line four runners in front of Turton – lost his race chip meaning an official time was not recorded, although it is likely Reading would have finished 23rd.