There was a great turnout for the Middlesex County Championships at Hillingdon last weekend. Although the date was brought forward from its usual January slot—resulting in a few gaps due to end-of-term illnesses—there was still strong representation from the Highgate Harriers junior squad across all age groups.
Under 11s Secure Team Silver
The U11 boys were the first off with 10 Harriers sprinting hard up the Hillingdon course. The route flattened for about 100m before turning onto the notorious steep hill (formerly a ski run). By the downhill section, the runners were well stretched out.
- Owen Lewis moved through the field to finish in the bronze medal position.
- Alex Rothwell, in his first season, secured an impressive 6th place.
- Hartley Choppin (21st) and James Mainwood (23rd) battled hard against one another.
The next batch of Highgate runners included Alex Fuzesi (27th), Adam Said (28th), Oscar Kidel (30th), Fleetwood Choppin (32nd), Orson Duquesne-Correa (33rd), and Asher Raman (37th). This mammoth effort was rewarded with team silver.
In the U11 girls' race, Florence Phillips went one better to finish second overall. Florence Maile and Erin Elliott-Boarder supported each other to close out the scoring, rewarded with Highgate medals.
Strong Showings for U13s and U15s
The U13s were out in force, with several competing for the Harriers for the first or second time.
- Holly O’Shea led the girls home with a top 30 finish, while newcomers Lila Hristou and Arthur Meyer delivered solid performances.
- Robert Mainwood led the boys, crossing the line in 14th place.
The U15 girls narrowly missed out on a team medal after a close contest with Queen Mary’s. The packing was impressive with Carys Tomlinson (14th), Alice Granger (15th), Alex O’Brien (16th), Olive O’Shea (17th), and Ira Agrawal (42nd).
In the U15 boys, Zain Broachi just missed a top 10 finish, while Heath Robin secured a well-earned 14th.
Champions in the Upper Age Groups
As the age groups increased, so did the podium finishes, including three County Champions.
- Sonny Allen and Arjuna Pflug (both first years in the U17s) secured resounding victories to be crowned Middlesex Champions.
- Leoni Delvendahl finished as the 1st U20, with Lizzie Wortsman and Josephine Luis ensuring team silver.
- Eloise Lindley finished 15th in the U17s.
Backing up Arjuna in the U17 boys, Luke Tomlinson (6th), Aron Sinko-Uribe (12th), and Denis O’Shea (34th) combined to help Highgate retain the team trophy.
