Gemma Steel, Andy Vernon, Jonny Davies and Emelia Gorecka all conquered the British fields take book their places to Belgrade this weekend and will spearhead what looks to be a strong British team for the SPAR European Cross Country Championships on Sunday 8th December.
Vernon, who was so dominant that he was able to zig-zag across the home straight touching the fans hands said “I ‘m looking to medal, I ‘ve medalled at the European U23s twice and the juniors once and that was back in 2005, 2007 and 2008. “
“We ‘re now in 2013, so it ‘s a long time on and I think it ‘s about time I picked up a medal again and that ‘s what I ‘m going there to get. If I can come out of there with a win, even better. “
Gorecka, who got bronze in 2010, gold in 2011 and silver in 2012 said after the trials “it was heart-breaking last year to come second but I think I learnt a lot from it. This year I’m so much fitter, I ‘m in a better place. “
“I ‘ve put all the work together. When it comes to the race in three weeks time I think whatever happens I ‘ll be happy because this year has been so much better, I ‘ve trained really hard and I ‘m in a good place.
“I would love to go out there and end my junior career on a high. I ‘m looking for a gold. “
Full GB & NI team (source:British Athletics):
Senior Men
Tom Farrell (Dave Smith) – Border/Oklahoma State Uni; Keith Gerrard (Art Acevedo) – Newham & Essex Beagles; Adam Hickey (Eamonn Martin) – Southend; Charlie Hulson (Paul Roden) – Sale Harriers Manchester; Frank Tickner (Clive Thomas) – Wells City Harriers; Andy Vernon (Nic Bideau) – Aldershot, Farnham & District.
Senior Women
Julia Bleasdale (self-coached) – Hillingdon; Katie Brough (Andrew Carter) – Vale Royal; Lauren Deadman (Bill Foster) – Havering Mayesbrook; Lauren Howarth (Pete Riley) – Leigh Harriers; Gemma Steel (John Nuttall) – Charnwood; Stephanie Twell (Woods) – Aldershot, Farnham & District.
Under 23 Men
Luke Caldwell (Robert Russell) – Dorking & Mole Valley/New Mexico Uni; Callum Hawkins (Robert Hawkins) – Kilbarchan; Jonathan Hay (Mick Woods) – Aldershot, Farnham & District; Richard Goodman – Shaftesbury Barnet; Jack Goodwin (Simon Goodwin) – Bedford & County; Dewi Griffiths (Kevin Evans) – Swansea.
Under 23 Women
Jessica Andrews (Woods) – Aldershot, Farnham & District; Rhona Auckland (Joyce Hogg) – Banchory Stonehaven; Kate Avery (Tony Simmons) – Shildon/Iona College; Lily Partridge (Woods) – Aldershot, Farnham & District; Charlotte Purdue (Woods) – Aldershot, Farnham & District; Laura Weightman (Steve Cram) – Jarrow & Hebburn.
Under 20 Men
Michael Callegari (Nadeem Shaikh) – Shaftesbury Barnet; Jack Crabtree (Norman Poole) – Aldershot, Farnham & District; Jonathan Davies (Rob McKim) – Reading AC; Zak Miller (Paul Shaw) – Trafford; Matthew Shirling (Adrian Webb) – Liverpool Harriers; Alex Short (Phil O’Dell) – Chelmsford.
Under 20 Women
Bobby Clay (Peter Mullervy) – Invicta East Kent; Jessica Gibbon (Rob McKim) – Reading AC; Emelia Gorecka (Woods) – Aldershot, Farnham & District; Amy Griffiths (Woods) – Aldershot, Farnham & District; Georgia Taylor-Brown (Roden) – Sale Harriers Manchester; Lydia Turner (Thomas Millmore) – Birtley.
