Gerrard repeats at a gruelling National
Keith Gerrard kicks away from Steve Vernon
Keith Gerrard retained his English National XC title on Saturday on a snowy, muddy, cold and frankly gruelling Sunderland course, which also saw Louise Damen retain the women’s crown in emphatic style…
Gerrard edged away in the last couple of miles of the race, from long-time co-leader Steve Vernon who won yet another medal at these championships. Speaking to AW the Newham runner stated at the finish:
“Steve pushed me so hard. We were kicking the hell out of each other for 12km. But in the last 200m something just got into me and I just managed to find enough to win. This was my trophy and I didn’t want to let anyone take it!”
Bedford’s Neilson Hall was third.
It was a different story in the women’s race as Louise Damen romped to the win, some 60 seconds clear of Sonia Samuels and 2012 champion Gemma Steel. Mountain and fell runners wallowed in the Herrington Country Park mud too, with Emma Clayton (4th) and Olivia Walwyn-Bush (5th) having storming runs.
Emelia Gorecka was amongst the winners once again as she took the U20 women’s title, and in the process her 7th National XC win – amazing.
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Athlctics Weekly
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Images by Adrian Royle
Louise Damen
