National Cross Country Championships, Maiden Castle Durham, 24 February 2001

Gold, Silver, Bronze in National XC Champs 
A Gold Medal for Faye Fullerton in the Under 17 women's event capped one of the most successful days for years at the National Cross Country Championships at Maiden Castle, County Durham today. In a perfect warm up for her World Championships run in four weeks Faye finished third in the combined under 17 and under 20 in the 5km race, beating Inter Counties Champion Louise Damen in the process. Faye's fine run brought her home 16 seconds clear of her nearest Under 17 challenger, Chloe Wilkinson of Shaftesbury Barnet, to claim her first major title. Lauren Deadman well placed in 18th in the Under 17 event.

The Under 13 girls 3km race run over a flat, grassy course proved to be a happy hunting ground with both individual and team medals. Always in the leading group Megan Foley proved her class with an excellent third place, just holding off the local Gateshead runner M.Ferrier to claim bronze, after conceding the silver to Charlie Gaspar of Milton Keynes in the last half-mile. Megan's tremendous effort was backed up by a superb run from Charlotte Watkins in fifth, only three seconds behind Megan, a vast improvement from her 23rd placing in the recent Inter Counties race. Good placings from Robyn Matson in 52nd and Lauren Clark in 73rd ensured a team silver medal behind the dominant  Aldershot team, holding off Milton Keynes by just one point.  Vicky Smith was close behind in 84th, with Leanne O'Neil 103rd of the 240 finishers.

In the Under 15 event Sara Luck just missed out on a medal, placing fourth, as Lincoln's Rachael Nathan repeated her win in the Inter-Counties in which Sara could only finish 16th. Rosie Saunders (122nd), Natalie Adams (126th) and Lynsey Clark (162nd) brought the team a respectable 12th place; Carmel Munson placed 164th of 213 finishers.

Debbie Sullivan was seventh in the senior women's competition in which the team of Jo Sullivan (51st), Nikki Barnett (55th), Hayley Hawes (155th) and Ruth O'Sullivan (156th) placed a good eighth.

Neil Collins was 99th in the Under 20 Men's event, with older brother Tony 1025th in the Senior race

 

Faye Fullerton - National XC Gold
Link to Results (onrunning.com)