A young Swindon Harriers athlete has been crowned the Southwest Cross Country champion following victory in Somerset last weekend.

Eloise Foster, 16, was competing at the South West Cross Country Championships in the under-17 women’s category at RNAS Merryfield, Ilton and took home the victory during her first race of the new year.

This was Foster’s first major title and it came as Wiltshire had a dominant display overall as they comfortably defeated Cornwall and Dorset.

Foster was not the only Harriers runner who experienced success as Ella Spencer came home in fifth place and was the fourth-scoring Wiltshire runner.

Foster said: “It is my best win so far and it was nice to beat some good girls.”

Also at the competition, the Harriers under-13 girls won the team gold in the club competition, with Charissa Griffiths-Clack as the fastest runner in 17th, followed across the line by Elsie Scrase in 18th, Ellie Charlseworth in 19th, and Freya McMeeking 22nd.

The under-13 boys had to settle for second as they were narrowly defeated by Exeter Harriers, coming just two points behind, with Jesse Bryant finishing in tenth, James Mayneord coming 14th, Olly Hughes crossing the line in 20th, and Finley Kuklinski in 28th.

Meanwhile on a busy weekend of racing the club’s senior runners were again in top form at the third Oxfordshire Cross Country League match at Oxford.

The men made it three wins out of three to stay well clear of their rivals, but they were run as close as they have been all season as the team finished just 21 points clear of Newbury AC.

Defending champion Simon Byrne was beaten into second by Radley junior Oliver Conway with Ben Lines, Max Harrison-Tosatto, Isaac Scott, Ethan Pierce, Harry Edwards and Omer Homer making up the team.

“It was another strong performance in very marshy, muddy conditions,” said Courtenay Chessell, who was also acting as team manager on the day.

“It was a proper 100 per cent, character-building cross-country course!”

For the women, it was their third win in Division Two putting them in a strong position to secure another promotion season having jumped up from Division Three last year. Emma Hines led the way in ninth with Chloe Powell and Jade Bennett again providing the support.

“I’m really pleased,” said team manager Felicity Webb. “Last year we moved up and are expecting to move up again this season.”