THE path of Caroline Brenchley to reach the podium at the South West Schools’ Cross Country Championships for the first time has been truly impressive, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

Finishing 51st on her debut as a junior in 2015 and then improving to 40th last year, the 16-year-old St Mary’s School student, from Calne, made a quantum leap forward to win bronze in the inter girls’ race at Truro School, Cornwall, on Saturday.

“That is definitely my best ever performance in a schools’ event,” said Brenchley, who lives in the village of Compton Bassett.

“This winter I have been training really hard with Adrian (Clover, coach at Team Bath AC) and I have been much more consistent.

“That has definitely paid off because today I felt very strong and I am sure I can go faster.”

In a strong field Brenchley had to work really hard to finish on the podium, not least because her Wiltshire teammate Jade Littlechild was right on her heels.

Corsham School’s Littlechild, who won the county title, struggled in the conditions but ran herself into the ground to try and win a medal and had to receive assistance after finishing fourth.

Brenchley added: “This is my first major medal and hopefully it will be the first of many more.''

In terms of individual Wiltshire success Brenchley’s bronze was matched by Salisbury’s Jaymee Domoney in the senior boys’ race.

The only other medal was a bronze for the county’s minor girls’ squad of Freya Buglass (St Augustines, fifth), Ophelia Pye (Dauntsey’s, sixth), Elizabeth Norton (South Wilts Grammar, 20th), Jadey Griscti (Trafalgar, Downton 25th) and Lilly Jones (South Wilts Grammar, 29th).

County champion Will Morris (Dauntsey’s School) survived horrendous conditions in the junior boys’ race to finish 11th and said: “I am a bit disappointed to be honest as I was hoping for better than that.”

In the senior girls’ race, county champion Mollie Gibbins, of Marlborough College, just missed a top ten spot in 12th.

“This was my first South West Schools’ so I didn’t have much of a clue as to what to expect,” she said.

“I was sort of aiming for the top 10 so considering the very difficult conditions I am not unhappy with 12th. I did the best in the circumstances.”

South West Schools’ Cross Country Championships, Truro School Senior girls: 1 Katie Hughes ( C ) 17:15; 2 Sian Temple (C ) 17:33; 3 Hannah Hobbbs (A) 17:44.

Teams: 1 Cornwall 107; 2 Somerset 110; 3 Devon 116; 4 Dorset 129; 5 Gloucestershire 134; 6 Wiltshire 232.

Inter girls: 1 Grace Brock (C ) 14:59; 2 Ellie Hobbs (A) 15:24; 3 Caroline Brenchley (W) 15:33.

Teams: 1 Devon 72; 2 Dorset 101; 3 Somerset 107; 4 Cornwall 155; 6 Wiltshire 171; 7 Gloucestershire 203.

Junior girls: 1 Alex Scrivenor (G) 13:37; 2 Enya Maylor (A) 13:56; 3 Emilie Castagna (Do) 14:00.

Teams: 1 Dorset 67; 2 Gloucestershire 91; 3 Somerset 93; 4 Avon 99; 5 Wiltshire 183; 6 Cornwall 198; 7 Devon 245.

Minor girls: 1 Maisy Luke (C ) 7:37; 2 Daisy Pellow (S) 7:55; 3 Kiya Dee (G) 8:00.

Teams: 1 Gloucestershire 68; 2 Somerset 98; 3 Wiltshire 117; 4 Cornwall 138; 5 Devon 153; 6 Avon 171; 7 Dorset 228.

Senior boys: 1 Hugh Sadler (A) 22:59; 2 Oliver Dickenson (S) 23:20; 3 Jaymee Domoney (W) 23:34.

Teams: 1 Somerset 59; 2 Avon 86; 3 Devon 137; 4 Gloucestershire 141; 5 Wiltshire 154; 6 Dorset 187.

Inter boys: Finn Birnie (C ) 19:25; 2 Sam Gentry (A) 19:41; 3 Harris Mier (C ) 19:50.

Teams: 1 Cornwall 53; 2 Avon 83; 3 Gloucestershire 104; 4 Devon 109; 5 Dorset 179; 6 Somerset 228; 6 Wiltshire 242.

Junior boys: 1 Henrik Wendin (S) 13:44; 2 Johnny Livingtone (D) 13:51; 3 Oliver Smart (D) 14:04.

Teams: 1 Somerset 42; 2 Devon 83; 3 Avon 110; 4 Gloucestershire 181; 5 Cornwall 187; 6 Dorset 211; 7 Wiltshire 212.

Minor boys: 1 Finn Pardy (Do) 9:40; 2 Sam Mills (D) 9:41; 3 Jake Fisher (S) 9:44.

Teams: 1 Avon 80; 2 Devon 87; 3 Dorset 114; 4 Gloucestershire 150; 5 Somerset 152; 6 Cornwall 194; 7 Wiltshire 253.

KEY: (A=Avon; D=Devon; C=Cornwall; Do=Dorset; G=Gloucestershire; S=Somerset; W=Wiltshire).