Princethorpe College cross country athletes James Simpson, 15, and Connor Connell, 12, won two age group gold medals at the Midlands Independent Schools Championships held at Bedstone College, Shropshire, last week.

Connell, who is also a National standard 400 metre Individual Medley swimmer, won the race by a good 200 metres. Head of Academic P.E. Mrs Chris McCullough who accompanied the squad commented,

‘He was so far ahead of the other athletes that he actually had no idea that he had won. It was an inspiring achievement.’ Under 16 winner James Simpson also won by a formidable margin.

‘I kept it steady on the first lap and stayed in third position. There was a nice wide flat stretch coming into the second lap and I made my break then. It paid off as I was able to maintain my pace to the end.’  added Year 10’s James who is also a Midlands Hockey player.

A total of ten athletes from Princethorpe College secured places in the National Cross Country Championships to be held at Princethorpe on February 26th where they will represent the Midlands.

Qualifying athletes include Connor Connell, James Simpson, Mary Hughes, Lucy Tallis, George Weavers, Luke Bromley, Chris Tolcher, Harry Hughes, Matthew Close and James Noon.

Mrs McCullough added, ‘This is an exceptional achievement for our young sportsmen and women. For many of them athletics is not their first sporting discipline so this just proves their overall fitness and commitment to the event.’