YOUNG athletes from Thetford Athletic Club slashed their personal bests at race four of the Ryston Runners Cross-Country series held at Shouldham Warren.

YOUNG athletes from Thetford Athletic Club slashed their personal bests at race four of the Ryston Runners Cross-Country series held at Shouldham Warren.

The U9 age group started off the morning with the 800m distance, Joe Smythe had an excellent race to finish in fourth place with a personal best of 3:24 in the boys' event, and Emma Hassey ran well to cross the line in 4:32, a PB time for 14th position.

Next up was the U11 age group, running 2km, with Alex Darton achieving another PB of 11:14 for 18th place in the boys' race.

Millie Bales, running her first race for the club, made a very good start with a time of 10:57 to finish in ninth place in the girls' equivalent.

Running 3km in the U13 girls' race, Molly Dyson and Bethan Hassey raced well to finish in 11th and 12th place respectively, Molly with a time of 14:30 and Bethan achieving a PB of 14:40.

In the U15 boys' section Thomas Busson was placed ninth to cross the line in 12:25 over the 3km course.

The three U17s all came home in PB times: Lucy Tyler in sixth place with 20:46, Joe Kirton cutting 35 seconds from his last time on this course to finish third in 17:49, only just in front of

club-mate Jonny Mead in fourth.

In the Vets' section Marion McCall finished in second place in 20:00 over the 5km run.

Next week runners from U13 upwards will compete in the Suffolk cross-country series at Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds.