By Kate Jenrick and Errol Peak
Sedgefield, County Durham, February 21st 2026. Sonny Allen wins the English National Cross Country Championships (U17).
History in the Making. I couldn’t think of any Highgate Harrier winning the Nationals in living memory. My memory is not to be relied on, but Alastair Aitken has confirmed Highgate Harriers’ last winner was A. Aldridge in 1914. In 1958, Maureen Smith went close with a 2nd place (and leading Highgate women to a team victory).
First race of the day, there was just Dad, Errol Peak (Sonny’s coach), Martin Holland and myself to cheer her round. I know a few athletes were watching it online as they were making the journey north to compete. Coach Errol and Sonny had worked on a race strategy and Sonny stuck to it. From the gun she was never off the front. After the first small lap was completed, Aldershot and District athlete Kitty Scott had moved into the lead and Sonny was right there with her. The two of them opened up a comfortable gap. Sonny allowed Kitty to set the pace and pick the route through (strangely firm underfoot despite the wet weeks we’ve had across the whole country). Always on Kitty’s shoulder biding her time, never taking the lead. Less than 300m from the finish, Sonny’s decisive kick opened a huge gap—she finished 9 seconds clear of Kitty. Race plan executed to perfection!
Watch Sonny’s race and all that followed on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yps97bZ-bo0
"Let me hand you over to Errol," says Kate.
It was a long trip up to Sedgefield for the National Cross Country Championships but we went with high hopes as Sonny has been training well despite a slight niggle in her leg. The course was actually not too muddy despite the weeks of rain, with gentle ups and downs rather than steep climbs. All to Sonny's advantage, we believed.
There was a simple race plan: sit just behind the leader/s and let them do all the work, wait for the last 200 or 300m and then unleash that kick we have worked so hard on over the last two years. After the mass sprint start, Sonny quickly settled in behind Kitty Scott, one of her major rivals. These two began to show their class and slowly but consistently pulled away, increasing the gap behind them until it was clear it would be a two-horse race.
Sonny stuck to the plan, even though she told me afterwards she felt she could have gone much earlier but didn't in case her coach had a heart attack, and with around 200m to go, she surged past Kitty and drove to the line, opening up a 9-second lead in a remarkably short time to become National U17 Cross Country Champion. It's her first major title but surely won't be her last!
So proud of this kid; it's not just her massive natural talent but the sheer dedication and effort she puts into every single training session. This is what has put her into this position and it's so well deserved!
