Herne Hill Harriers round-up: Millard takes silver – and her GB team land gold – at World Uni Cross Country Championships

BY GEOFF JERWOOD

Saskia Millard claimed a silver medal at the FISU World University Cross Country Championships in Aveiro, Portugal and Tokyo Olympian Katie Snowden put on her racing shoes for the first time in 2022 to reclaim the women’s course record at the Dulwich parkrun.

Representing a strong Great Britain Students team, Millard (pictured right) placed second in an international field behind team-mate Izzy Fry to lead their country to team gold medals.

Almost eight years ago to the day, Millard won the junior girls race at the English Schools Cross Country Championship leading her London Schools team to gold medals.

After many setbacks she is now racing successfully at a high level at U23 and senior level.

With an excellent winter season now completed by adding this performance to her BUCS Indoor Championship 3,000m title last month, the Birmingham University student will be looking to challenge for international team representation on the track this summer.

Olympic 1,500m semi-finalist Snowden chose Dulwich Park to test herself competitively for the first time this year after a knee issue had prevented her from racing indoors on the track.

She ran the 5km as part of a training session and recorded 16:05 – the equal ninth fastest female time in any UK parkrun.

Snowden will soon head off to train at altitude in preparation for her bid to race for England in this year’s Commonwealth Games and for GB at the World Athletics Championship in Oregon later this year.

Orla Wright brought home a team silver medal from the UK Inter Counties Cross Country Championship at Prestwold Hall, Loughborough on Saturday, placing 28th in the U13 girls race and scoring in the Surrey medal winning quartet.

Other Herne Hill athletes racing for Surrey at Loughborough were Sophie Jack, 66th U13 girl, Keeran Sriskandarajah, 65th U15 boy and Jack McLennan, 126th U13 boy. Katie Moore placed 82nd in the senior women’s race representing a team from Northern Ireland and Ulster.

Julia Wedmore won the senior women’s Surrey County 5km road race on Sunday in 18:54 at Wimbledon Park.

Freddie Harding (a PB of 18:47) and Tim Kerr (19.07) also raced 5km at Wimbledon.

The club’s M45 team won silver medals at the British Masters Cross Country at Tonbridge on Saturday – courtesy of Andrew Perfect (sixth), John Kettle (seventh) and Oliver Morrison (15th).

The W55 team took the bronze medal thanks to good runs by Gillian Wheeldon (sixth W60), Sarah Allen (ninth W55) and Flora Di Carlo (tenth W55). Other finishers were Suzanne Swaine placed (eighth W35), Penelope Cummings (18th W45), Tony Harran (18th M60), Andrew Black (22nd M60) and Ian Strong (30th M60).

Mike Cummings clocked 1:59.36 to win the M35 800m in the Masters Inter Area match at Lee Valley on Saturday.

Brandon Dewar came tantalisingly close to sub-70 minutes with 70:01 for 13th place at the Paddock Wood Half Marathon. Jack Brotchie ran 71:58 in 27th, Jonathan Ratcliffe was 79th and first M50 in 78:58 and M60 Rob Harrison was 322nd overall in 98:59.