Britain’s top young runners head to Liverpool this weekend for one of the biggest fixtures in the schools cross-country calendar.
After celebrating its centenary in 2025, the English Schools Cross Country Championships returns for its 101st edition this weekend (March 14), with Sefton Park in Liverpool hosting one of the most prestigious fixtures in the junior endurance calendar.
The championships traditionally attract many of the country’s most promising young athletes, each representing the county aligned with their school, and this year’s races promise another day of high-quality competition and close finishes.
Defending champion Alex Lennon returns to the senior boys (6km) race aiming to retain the title he secured last year.
Since that victory, Lennon has continued his impressive progression. The teenager represented Great Britain & Northern Ireland at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee and also clocked a swift 14:22 for 5km at the Podium 5km road race.
He arrives in Liverpool in strong form after winning the under-20 race at the UK Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships last weekend in Nottingham.
However, Lennon is unlikely to have things all his own way. Rory Barclay-Watt has enjoyed an outstanding cross-country season and arrives with momentum after taking victory in the under-17 race at the Inter-Counties.
Barclay-Watt was also crowned champion at the English National Cross Country Championships in Sedgefield in February and will be targeting another major win.
Close behind him in both races was Joseph Scanes, who finished third at the Nationals and second at the Inter-Counties, marking him out as another contender for the podium.
Also worth watching is Lennon’s GB & NI team-mate Michael Clark. Clark finished an impressive 18th at the World Cross Country Championships despite losing a spike mid-race. He has previous success at Sefton Park, having won the Liverpool Cross Challenge there last November to secure his place on the GB & NI team for the European Cross Country Championships.
With last year’s champion Zoe Gilbody now out of the age category, the senior girls race (4.4km) is wide open.
Ava James heads into the event after winning the under-20 race at the Inter-Counties and will be hoping to continue that form in Liverpool. Among her closest challengers is Katie Pye, who pushed her hard in that race and will be eager to turn the tables this weekend.
Maisey Bellwood is another strong contender. At the Nationals in Sedgefield she finished second, narrowly ahead of James, although James reversed the order at the Inter-Counties.
European under-20 track finalist Isla McGowan is also set to compete. McGowan has a strong cross-country pedigree, though she has been absent from several of the recent national events.
The intermediate boys race (5km) will crown a new champion with last year’s winner Evan Grime not returning.
Leo Blyton, last year’s junior boys champion, steps up an age group and will be looking to make an immediate impact. Among those aiming to challenge him is Theo Creed, who secured the under-15 title at last week’s Inter-Counties championships.
Ewan Withnall will also feature in the field. The Burton AC athlete recently appeared in our ‘club of the month’ documentary, in partnership with England Athletics, as he will be looking to test himself against the country’s best.
The intermediate girls race (3.8km) appears equally competitive. National under-17 champion Sonny Allen will be hoping to add another title after her victory in Sedgefield, where she pulled clear of Kitty Scott in the closing stages. Scott, the national silver medallist, will also line up in Liverpool as she will hope to defend the title that she won last year.
Beth Lewis adds further strength to the field after winning the under-17 title at the Inter-Counties, finishing ahead of Scott once again.
Athletes such as Kara Gorman, Jorjia March and Poppy Guest also bring strong credentials and could feature prominently.
In the junior boys race (3.2km), Luis Da Silva will be the standout name after an outstanding season in the under-13 category. He has already claimed both the national and Inter-Counties titles this year.
Similarly, the junior girls race (3.2km) will see attention focused on Madison Kindler, who has dominated the under-13 girls division this year. Like Da Silva, she has secured victories at both the Nationals and Inter-Counties and has regularly finished well clear of her rivals.
Timetable
12:30 – Intermediate Girls
13:00 – Junior Boys
13:30 – Junior Girls
14:00 – Intermediate Boys
14:35 – Senior Girls
15:05 – Senior Boys
The event will be livestreamed via Vinco.