South Yorkshire athletes go for gold

Last year the men’s team were disappointed to finished sixth, led home by Hallamshire’s Andy Heyes who finished seventh. Heyes is missing this time, competing instead for the British team in the Worlds Students Championship in Italy. However, Hallamshire are well represented in the Yorkshire team with Steve Bayton, Dave Archer and Connor Milnes all in the team, together with Rotherham’s Luke Cotter. The Yorkshire women defend their team title with Hannah Fletcher (Hallamshire) the only South Yorkshire representative in a team led by Leeds City’s Claire Duck. In the junior (under 20) age groups, Jonathan Shields (City of Sheffield) should be prominent in the Yorkshire team whilst his Sheffield team mate Anina Atkinson is in the women’s team, looking to repeat their silver medal performance of last year. In the under 17 women’s race Alice Moore (Barnsley AC), City of Sheffield duo Amelia Lancaster and Emily Simpson, and Hallamshire’s Mary McCarthy are part of a powerful squad whilst Cameron Bell (Hallamshire) and Joe Massingham (Rotherham) are in the under 17 men’s team. Rotherham pair Maya Taylor and Grace Harris are in a strong under 15 girls team with Hallamshire’s Eve Crownshaw and Saskia Huxham also running whilst City of Sheffield’s Davis Byrne and Matthew Fuller are in the boys team for that age group. Last year the Yorkshire under 13 boys team won the title with Taylor Hill (Hallamshire) and Scott Nutter (Batnsley AC) playing a prominent role. They run again in the same age group along with individual winner Tommy Dawson (Leeds City) and are favourites to retain their title. Alex Durrant (Hallamshire) is also in the team. Jodie Hill (Hallamshire) should be well placed in the under 13 girls race and there is a place in the Yorkshire team for Zena Hartley, also from Hallamshire.