English Schools inter boys winner Ben Dijkstra among young athletes in action in Bolton this weekend

Having become the first athlete for over 40 years to win boys junior and intermediate English Schools’ cross country titles in successive years last weekend, Ben Dijkstra will be hoping to continue his winning streak in Bolton on Saturday.

The 15-year-old triathlete will be back on the country looking to again add inter boys victory to the junior SIAB title he won in Wales 12 months ago.

A top-eight finish in the inter and junior races at the English Schools championships secured athletes a spot in the England team for Saturday’s international.

As a result, Dijkstra will be joined in the inter boys England team by Jamal Lewis and Alexander Yee, second and third behind him in Donington Park, on a course in Bolton that takes in grassy playing fields as well as a run through the forest.

Alex Carcas and Cameron Harris are among those on the Scottish team, while Jake Heyward, Christian Smith and Hassan Abdi compete for Wales and the likes of Kevin Mulcaire and Shane Hughes for Ireland.

Harriet Knowles-Jones is again in inter girls action, having added English Schools victory to her Inter Counties win last weekend, and she will be joined by the likes of runner-up in Donington Park Sabrina Sinha, who also claimed Inter Counties victory in the under-15 age group.

They will face Laura Stark and Kirstin Oakley among others on the Scottish team, as well as Cari Hughes and Heidi Davies running for Wales and Rhona Joan Pierce and Clodagh O’Reilly for Ireland.

Matthew Willis claimed a clear victory in the junior boys race at Donington Park, crossing the line nine seconds ahead of Noah Armitage-Hookes. Like Dijkstra, Willis is also a triathlete and the English junior boys duo will go up against the likes of Scotland’s Ryan Gray and Adam Scott, Welsh athletes Thomas Neshen and Rhys Jones, plus Patrick Maher and James Gerard Maguire of Ireland.

Saskia Millard was also among those victorious at the English Schools event, the 13-year-old returning from a 47th place finish at the Inter Counties where she had fainted to cross the line three seconds ahead of Josie Czura. Erin Wallace and Nikki Miller are among those in action for Scotland, while Lucy Davies and Jessica Wadey run for Wales. Caoimhe Harrington, Jodie Lynam McCann and Nicola Tracy Duffy feature on the eight-strong Ireland junior girls team.

Timetable

12.30 pm – Junior Girls – 3500m
12.45 pm – Junior Boys – 4500m
1.00 pm – Primary Girls – 1500m
1.15 pm – Primary Boys – 1500m
1.30 pm – Intermediate Girls – 4500m
2.00 pm – Intermediate Boys – 5500m

Teams are listed in full here

See next week’s issue of AW for in-depth coverage of the SIAB International Cross Country

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