A TEAM of youngsters from Wiltshire have won gold medals at the English Cross Country Relay Championships for the first time ever, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

The trio – Hayden Bailey, Alfie Green and Rory Howorth – ran away with the U13 boys’ title leading from gun to tape at Berry Hill Park, in Mansfield.

Their time of 21mins 24secs saw the Team Bath boys finish 20 seconds clear of the City of York AC and Charnwood AC with further glory going to 13-year-old Bailey for the fastest overall time of the race, 10 seconds quicker than his nearest rival.

“It was a great team effort and I am so pleased that we won,” said Bailey, who lives in Trowbridge and goes to John O’Gaunt School.

“As a team we had had enough of finishing second and third and we really wanted to win for once so we gave it 100 per cent.”

Bailey gave the team a flying start on stage one to hand a 10-second lead to Green.

Despite having 78 teams on his tail, the rookie from Westbury kept his cool in only his third competitive start for the club.

“I was quite nervous but Hayden gave us a good lead and I knew I had to keep it going on my leg,” said Green, who goes to Matravers School and was 13 on Tuesday.

Hilperton’s Howorth shrugged off doubts about his knee, recovering from the bang which forced him to drop out of the Bristol Cross Challenge the previous week to bring home gold.

“We are absolutely thrilled,” said the 11-year-old St Augustine’s pupil.

“Hayden was brilliant and is really in top form while Alfie is showing great signs having only just started with the club. It was an incredible day.”

Themis Bower, one of the 2012 U13 line-up that won silver, was joined by Cameron Perkins and Trowbridge 14-year-old Will Stockley in the U15 boys’ team that finished seventh of 82 teams.

The B team, including the Howorth twins Robert and John, finished 20th.

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