THERE is much to celebrate in finishing runner-up in the South West Schools’ Cross Country Championships but Melksham Oak School student Will Stockley looked a little underwhelmed by his achievement, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

That’s because the 15-year-old from Semington finished a distant second to the outstanding Tom Mortimer of Gloucestershire, who delivered a brilliant performance to dominate the inter boys’ race and enjoy one of the biggest winning margins in the history of the event.

“I would have liked to have finished a bit closer to Tom really,” said Stockley. “Otherwise it was okay and it is good to win a medal.”

Stockley shouldn’t be too hard on himself. It was his best performance in the event, eclipsing a bronze medal on his debut in the minor boys’ race four years ago and was also an improvement on his seventh place in the inter boys’ race last year.

No one was going to beat Mortimer on Saturday and Stockley ensured he did the next best thing and secured another valuable championship medal.

It was also the best Wiltshire result on an excellent day of racing at Grittleton House School.

St Augustine’s student Rory Howorth was always among the medal contenders in the junior boys’ race having enjoyed a terrific start to the year.

But a recent hip problem had curtailed his training and, as Howorth was bottom year of the age group, he knew he would have to deliver a big performance to secure a place on the podium.

And the 12-year-old from Hilperton did just that with a hard-earned third place.

“I am really pleased to win the bronze medal and I can look forward to coming back next year and doing even better,” said Howorth.

The third medal won by a Wiltshire team runner was a bronze from Malmesbury School student Zoe Wassell in the inter girls’ race.

“I was going for the top three before the event but as the race went on I thought I could win it,” said Wassell, who lives in Tetbury.

“I was second most of the way but third is okay and I was happy with my performance. It was a really good race. Yoyo (Barnsley, the champion) was so strong and ran well.”

There was also another medal winner from Wiltshire but she was wearing an Avon Schools’ vest.

Eleanor Webster goes to Kingswood School in Bath but the 11-year-old lives in Alderton, near Malmesbury, and won an excellent silver in the minor girls’ race.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” said Webster. “I thought I’d be doing well to finish in the top six, so I am delighted.”

Sophie Smith of St John’s School & Community College in Marlborough ran well to finish 11th and first Wiltshire athlete in the minor girls’ age group. Fellow school runner Beth Mayer was 24th.

Elsewhere, Sheldon’s Gemma Shepherd was sixth in the senior girls’ race, while Corsham’s Jade Littlechild was top county runner in the junior girls’ event and finished 16th. Both Yasmin Watling (St Mary’s) and Caitlin Wosika (John of Gaunt) also made the top 20 amongst the inters.

Behind Howorth, John of Gaunt student Hayden Bailey was seventh in the juniors and Jake Nickerson (St Laurence) finished 12th.

South West Schools’ Cross Country Championships, Grittleton House, Wiltshire

Senior boys: 1 Oliver Fox (S) 22:12; 2 Dmitry Nazarenko (G) 23:20; 3 Sam Sommerville (S) 24:41. WILTSHIRE: 5 Callum Bampton (Ridgeway); 21 Ethan Jones (Sheldon); 32 Jay Painter (Sheldon); 40 Jacob Payne (Corsham); 50 Aidan Daniel (Corsham); 51 George Clarely (Sheldon); 52 Joseph Morrison (Devizes); 53 Sam Bolwell (St Laurence).

Inter boys: 1 Tom Mortimer (G); 2 Will Stockley (Melksham Oak); 3 Piers Copeland (Do). WILTSHIRE:  14 Josh Shuter (St Joseph’s); 17 Freddie Webb (John of Gaunt); 19 Jaymee Dooney (St Joseph’s); 21 henry Dixon (St Augustines); 25 John Howorth (St Augustines); 26 Cameron Perkins (Hardenuish); 29 Robert Howorth (St Augustines);37 Jacob Bacon (Corsham); 51 Joe Castle (Kingsdown).

Junior boys: 1 Finn Birnie (C ); 2 Jed Skelton (Do); 3 Rory Howorth (St Augustines). WILTSHIRE: 7 Hayden Baily (John of Gaunt); 12 Jake Nickerson (St Laurence); 15 Finley Lloyd-Gilmore (Stonehenge); 35 Jonah Veakins (St Augustines); 48 Thomas Musselwhite (St Joseph’s); 51 Daniel Poynting (Bishop Wordsworth); 55 Robert Croager (Bishop Wordsworth); 56 Ethan Pierce (Abbeyfield); 66 Otto Copping (Corsham).

Minor boys: 1 Bradley McLellan (C ) 8:55; 2 Justin Davies (A) 9:00; 3 Harvey Rowland (G) 9:02. WILTSHIRE: 18 Anthony Lynn (Wyvern College); 25 Sam Butt (Trafalgar); 30 Patrick Mochan (Lydiard Park); 49 Josh Sawford (Brandon Forest); 51 Jayden Sadler (Dorcan College); 52 James Pickford (Dauntsey’s); 56 Fin Shorland (Hardenhuish); 57 Miles Littlechild (Corsham); 61 Ed Opie (Sheldon.

Senior girls: 1 Victoria Weir (D) 15:00; 2 Poppy Tank (D) 15:1; 3 Emily Ackford (D) 15:37. WILTSHIRE: 6 Gemma Shepherd (Sheldon); 17 Emily Neve (Dauntsey’s); 21 Jasmine Thayer (SWilts Grammar); 22 Kirsty Stanley (Sheldon); 27 Mirada King (Malmesbury); 28 Elle Lindsay (Sheldon); 50 Issy Dickson (SWilts Grammar); 56 Hannah Land (Stonar); 57 Liberty Nicholls (Stonar); 58 Holly Newman (Stonar); 59 Phillipa Sumner (Godolphin).

Inter girls: 1 Yoyo Barnsley (C ); 2 Serena O’Conor (Do); 3 Zoe Wassell (Malmesbury). WILTSHIRE: 19 Yasmin Watling (St Mary’s); 20 Caitlin Wosika (John of Gaunt); 23 Saskia Debenham (Godolphin); 47 Chloe Crippen (Nova Hreod); 49 Lucy Buffham (Hardenhuish); 55 Kirsty Roberts (Malmesbury); 59 Ariana Watling (St Mary’s); 60 Emma Pike (SWilts Grammar); 66 Alith Uloth (SWilts Grammar).

Junior girls: 1 Anna Perkins (Do) 11:39; 2 Molly Smith (S) 11:42; 3 Maddy Johnson (Do) 11:49. WILTSHIRE: 16 Jade Littechild (Corsham); 46 Karla Jackson (St John’s); 47 Coco Smythe (Godolphin); 48 Louise Webb (SWilts Grammar); 51 Caroline Brenchley (St Mary’s); 52 Ella Malik (St Mary’s); 55 Lucy Fitzpatrick (St Mary’s); 59 Scarlett Rockett (St Laurence); 60 Becky Service (St Edmund’s); 67 Lily Battersby (St Edmund’s).

Minor girls: 1 Olivia Rook (G) 9:58; 2 Eleanor Webster (A) 10:00; 3 Connie Hickman (S) 10:01. WILTSHIRE: 11 Sophie Smith (St John’s); 17 Sussie Hirst (St Mary’s); 24 Beth Mayer (St John’s); 33 Cerys Jones (Sheldon); 37 Megan Poole (Isambard); 40 India Ibbotson (Hardenhuish); 59 Isabella Goulding (SWilts Grammar); 61 Emilee Berry (Stonehenge); 63 Lucy Matthews (SWilts Grammar); 65 Lily Jackson (St John’s).