SOUTH Essex’s top young cross-country runners took part in the South East Schools Intercounties Cross-Country Championships.

The races were used as the final selection criteria for the English Schools Championships which take place in Blackburn in March.

Palmer’s College student Gemma Holloway was the star of the show as she dominated the senior girls race, cruising to victory and leading her squad to silver team medals.

Among the squad was Southend AC’s Annabel Matthews-Smith who was 39th overall and the sixth scorer.

Also representing the Southend district was Laura Kidd who was 66th.

The other Essex team to win medals on a freezing cold day at Reigate, Surrey, were the intermediate boys team.

Basildon Academies pupil Mason Webb was 18th, despite being a year younger than most in the age group, FitzWimarc School’s Max Jones was 20th and Greensward Academy pupil Brandon Thorpe 36th.

All three were part of the scoring Essex team that won bronze medals and all three are club-mates at Basildon AC.

Other south Essex representation in the intermediate boys team included Southend’s Harrison Smith (43rd) and Thurrock pair Jody Meredith (49th) and Sam Smith (62nd).

Gable Hall School pupil Hayley Instance had a terrific run in the junior girls race to finish 23rd overall despite being in the younger end of the age group, while Thurrock’s Amber Pullinger was 28th, Southend High School for Girls’ Joanna Rimmington 31st and King Edmund School’s Charlotte Brooks 76th.

In the junior boys race, Thurrock pair Jack Exley (59th), Taylor Newell (80th) and Greensward Academy’s Craig Wheeler (88th) all competed.

Essex just missed out on a medal in the intermediate girls race where Castle View School’s Jodie Judd was 29th and King John’s Niamh Smith 31st.

Southend High School for Girls trio Katie Faint (40th), Megan Richardson (45th) and Natasha May (75th) all ran well while William Edwards’ Gemma Archer-Haley was 78th and King John’s Kiera Tippett 81st.

In the senior boys, Shoeburyness High’s Adam Jordan was 39th overall and the third Essex scorer home, two places ahead of Adam Houchell. Southend pair Joe Ray and Dominc Le Mare were 40th and 68th respectively.