COUNTY runners Kathryn Turner and Alex Stainthorpe suffered the frustration of seeing a national medal ripped from their grasp in the Saucony English Cross Country Relays in Mansfield, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

The pair, representing Team Bath AC, had taken the club into third place at the end of the second and penultimate leg of the U20 women’s race around Berry Hill Park.

Normally Warminster-based runner Imogen Wolsey would have taken on the third and final stage but sadly she wasn’t at the event and with non-one else available that left the other Team Bath girls watching the other clubs fight out the medals.

“Imogen picked up a slight calf problem while running in schools’ event in the week and it was decided that it was best she didn’t run,” said team manager and coach Adrian Clover.

“Arguably Imogen is our best runner on the country and at worst I think we would have finished third and the girls would have won bronze medals and maybe they might have done better.

“It is a shame for Kathryn and Alex as they both ran really well and deserved something out of the event but that’s how it goes sometimes.”

Turner, who lives in Bradford-on-Avon and is a student at St Laurence School, can take considerable satisfaction at posting the ninth fastest time of the day as she finished sixth on stage one, not a bad performance by someone who is not that keen on cross country.

Stainthorpe then ran superbly to lift Team Bath into third with a time just six seconds slower and that would have set up Wolsey nicely for the glory leg but sadly it was not meant to be.

The best team performance of the day came from Team Bath AC’s trio in the U13 boys’ race in which Trowbridge brothers Rory and John Howorth played a starring role.

Rory gave the team a great start finishing seventh on stage one and then Harry Dixon gained three places on stage two. John Howorth set off in fourth on the final stage and in a fantastic finale almost earned the club their first national medal in this event.

“John ran superbly to get into third with 500m to go but another boy had been sitting on his shoulder all the way around and the effort John made to catch the boy who started in third took its toll and he ran out of steam,” added Clover.

“But all three boys can run in this race again next year so hopefully they can come back and win a medal next time.”

Bradford on Avon’s Alex Carter had a solid run in the U17 men’s event, finishing fifth on the opening stage before the team slipped back to 17th.

WILTSHIRE international marathon runner Amy Chalk made it two wins out of two in the Gloucestershire Cross Country League held in Gloucester.

Chalk, who lives in the village if Stanley near Chippenham, again dominated the senior women’s race finishing over a minute clear of the field.

Hardenhuish School student Loren Bleaken choose the event as her first cross country race of the winter and was pleased to finish second in the under 17 women’s event.

“It was nice to be back on the country,” said Bleaken.

Rory Howorth claimed an impressive victory in the U11 boys’ race with clubmate Jonas Veakins third.

FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS, REPORTS & PICTURES SEE FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @WTSport