Four Thetford AC athletes represented their respective county teams at the English Schools Cross Country Championships, three wearing the stripes of Norfolk and one donning the blue of Suffolk.

The event, which took place at Wollaton Park in Nottingham, pitted the best eight athletes from each county across England against one another over a challenging terrain including steep inclines and plenty of seasonal mud.

Jessica Norkett came home in 129th position with an extremely strong time of 14.01mins, making her the seventh Norfolk Schools athlete to finish in the Junior Girls race, in which 339 competitors completed the event.

A very impressive Norfolk girls team finished second place in the team event, pipped for first place by Surrey. Emily Williams, representing Northamptonshire won the race in a time of 12.38.

In the Intermediate Boys race, won by Matthew Willis of Cheshire in a time of 17.58, Aiden Try finished as the fourth Norfolk Schools athlete to cross the line in a time of 20.09, making him the 162nd athlete to finish overall.

Tom Mead, representing Suffolk Schools, finished in 198th place with a time of 20.19. Hampshire won the team event with Norfolk sitting in 21st place and Suffolk two places further back in 23rd.

Joseph Smythe was Thetford’s sole representative within the Norfolk Schools team in the Junior Boys event. Smythe finished in 132nd place with a time of 16.59 in a race won by Harris Mier of Cornwall in a time of 15.12.

The Norfolk Schools team finished in 21st position, with Surrey the victors.