Humberside County Cross-Country Championships – Saturday 1st February

[04 Feb 2014]

Saturday morning, cold, gloomy and wet! Blowing a gale! Having to get out of bed to run! Really ?

Of all the sporting activities – Cross-Country must be one of the most difficult disciplines to mentally and physically deal with and requires a
mental toughness which many of us can not deal with or possess. It is hard!

That’s why it takes character, determination and a willingness to succeed and better oneself to actually get to the event!

Last Saturday six of our students represented Hull in the Humberside County Championships at Baysgarth School in Barton.

Students arrived by bus, with parents and even grandmas and their anticipation of what was to come was written all over their faces.
What have we let ourselves in for?

At Minor Level we were represented by Will Beaumont (Hull Champion) and by the girls in Holly Dodsworth ( 3rd in Hull); Danielle Waters(4th) and
Charlotte Wilkinson.

At Intermediate Level we were represented by Kenan Stephenson (Hull Champion) and Joseph Woods(7th).

A tough line-up of class runners from all over the County-club runners – a very high standard indeed!

The girls went first and Holly finished a marvellous 18th followed by Danielle in 40th and Charlotte in 63rd.

Next it was Will’s turn and he was dwarfed by some ‘giants’. He fought hard at the beginning to stay with the pace.
A ‘warrior’ up and down and around a difficult course which he maintained throughout and with a last surge of determination
he battled his way to a fabulous 5th position. A wonderful achievement!

A result which if he had been a year older would have qualified Will for the National Finals!

And then finally the Intermediate Boys in Kenan and Joseph. 5700 metres of sheer hell and agony!

Kenan finished a creditable 23rd-he was most disappointed –which says a lot of him. On reflection he will realise he ran against
some very good runners. Kenan deserves recognition for being a Hull Champion not once but twice since his Year 7 days.

Joseph epitomises everything that is ‘special’ about some of our students. He gave up playing for Hull Schools U.15 Football Team to run.
After one lap Joseph knew he was struggling to keep up but he was not going to give up and persevered through the acute pain.
It took guts and a special mentality to finish! 43 rd who cares? – the placing did not matter but the courage did! Nothing but sheer admiration for all of our students! It says a great deal about them!

A productive and successful morning in which our courageous students did themselves, the Academy, and the city proud!
They deserve much praise!

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