Pre-race favourites secured victories in senior events, Hickey successfully defending his title at Blackweir Fields

Lily Partridge and Adam Hickey were among the winners at Sunday’s British Athletics Cross Challenge meeting in Cardiff.

Pre-race favourite Partridge enjoyed a dominant victory ahead of Sarah Astin as Imogen Ainsworth finished third, one place ahead of GB mountain running international Emma Clayton.

“It was exciting to go into a race as favourite having been involved in some big races already this winter and to get the win is a real confidence boost,” said Partridge, who finished seventh at last weekend’s Great Edinburgh Cross Country after an 11th place at the European Cross Country Championships in December.

She added: “At the Great Edinburgh Cross Country I was happy with my position but didn’t feel like I ran my best race so it’s nice to get a victory here.”

Hickey had also gone into the event as the one to beat and successfully defended his title, beating Dean Lacy and Dewi Griffiths.

Griffiths was pleased with his return to competition, the Welsh athlete not having raced since the Commonwealth Games after he suffered a stress fracture while competing in Glasgow.

“I’m happy with that,” Griffiths told Welsh Athletics.

“I’ve kept my cards close to my chest over the last few months but I’ve had four or five weeks of good training and I am starting to feel like my old self.”

Jac Hopkins won the under-20 men’s race and adds that title to his previous victories in the under-15 and under-17 age groups, while Olivia Gwynn won the under-20 women’s event from Bronwen Owen.

Other winners were Ben Dijkstra and Kate Waugh in the under-17 races. Luke Davies and Jasmine Cooper claimed the under-15 titles, while Hamish Armitt and Eluned King won the under-13 events.

The Cardiff event was the second meeting in the Cross Challenge series. Milton Keynes on February 7 and Birmingham on March 7 will stage the remaining events in the series, which has a prize fund of 25,000.

For much more details reports, results and pictures see the January 22 edition of AW magazine which will be available digitally here from Wednesday January 21

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