The Kent Schools Cross-Country Championships drew nearly 600 runners to Wilmington Grammar School, writes Alan Newman.

The first four in each age group above Year 7 gained automatic selection for the English Schools event at Blackburn on March 14, and George Duggan (Maidstone) will be among those heading north after he won the senior boys’ title by 31 seconds from Chris Cohen (Tunbridge Wells).

Alasdair Kinloch (Thanet) retained his intermediate boys’ trophy with just five seconds to spare from last year’s fourth placer, Jamie Goodge (Tunbridge Wells).

In the junior boys’ event, Henry-James Cowie (Dartford & Gravesham) won from Charlie Crick (Tonbridge & Sevenoaks), while Amy Old (Canterbury & St Augustines) took the senior girls’ race from Niamh Bridson-Hubbard (Bromley).

Last year’s junior champion, Holly Page, and Jessica Keene (Bexley) were first and second in the intermediate race and Kathleen Faes (Tonbridge & Sevenoaks) raced to victory by 60 seconds to step up from silver last year at junior level. Millie Smith of Bromley led the chasing pack.

The Year 7 Boys had the biggest field with 111 finishers led by James Crombie (Tunbridge Wells) and Bashiri Ryan (Maidstone). Year 7 Girls saw 95 finishers, headed by Maisy Rose (Dartford & Gravesham) ahead of Rosanna Allan.