Two ‘On Camp with Kelly’ athletes made vital contributions to the Norwich Union GB Team’s fourth place finish in the Junior Women’s 6km race at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh on Sunday 30 March.

Charlotte Purdue (Aldershot, Farnham and District) was the leading GB and European finisher in 16th place in 20:52, while her training partner under coach Mick Woods, Emma Pallant (Aldershot, Farnham and District) took 27th place in 21:17 after running in the lead group in the early part of the race. The race was won by Genzebe Diababa of Ethiopia in 19:59.

After the race Charlotte said: “I am really pleased with that run and it feels good. I am coming back from injury so that run was great.”

In the Junior Men’s 8km race, David Forrester (St Helens Sutton AC), one of 11 male athletes invited to the OCWK Educational Camp in Loughborough the following week, finished in an excellent 24th place in 24:14. He was the leading GB Team athlete and second European just behind Chahdi of France. The race was won by Ethiopia’s Ibrahim Jeilan in 22:38.

David said: “I felt really happy with it, but I have never been more tired in my life. I knew I had to hurt myself like I’d never hurt myself before and that’s what I did.”

In the Home Countries International match that took place the day before the World Cross over the same course, another of the male athletes invited to the OCWK camp, Ben Lindsay (Aldershot, Farnham & District) finished first Under 20 and sixth overall, completing the 8km course in 25:30.

At the SIAB Schools Home Countries International in Perth on Friday 28 March, another Mick Woods coached athlete, Louise Small representing England took second place in the Intermediate Girls 4km race in 14:36, four seconds behind Scotland’s Beth Potter.

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Photos Mark Shearman