INSIDETRACK Ooh la la, Rory brings home silver from Paris
MORPETH TEEN PART OF SIX-MAN TEAM
WE pride ourselves here in the North East that when it comes to cross-country running we tend to look far and wide in the search of interesting venues.
Last season for instance the course at Herrington Country Park was set under the imposing Penshaw Monument while those athletes who took in the rearranged Alnwick fixture had a clear view of the spectacular Alnwick Castle.
Not that the hundreds of athletes who lined up in either of the events had time to admire both the local landmarks as they concentrated on keeping a steady footing on the testing terrain.
However, Penshaw Monument and Alnwick Castle are arguably pushed to one side as far as iconic constructions are concerned when it comes to hosting a cross-country race in France.
The ISF World Cross-Country Championships were held earlier this month in Paris which attracted athletes from 34 nations including Morpeth King Edward VI School’s Rory Leonard who was one of six athletes chosen for the England Schools’ team.
While there was no mud in evidence, in fact flats were the order of the day rather than racing spikes, as the organisers had come up with a breathtaking course under the shadow of the dramatic Eiffel Tower!
Four circuits of just over a kilometre faced Leonard and his teammates on what was a shale track laid out inside a well-tended Paris park which ran by the Eiffel Tower on each occasion. It was a truly magnificent sight as the 100-plus field wound its way round in front of intrigued Parisian spectators taking a stroll in the warm spring sunshine. While it was a new undertaking for the local community and certainly a new experience as far as a walk in the park is concerned, it quickly turned serious when the cross-country action got underway. Leonard, who has had a superb winter which included victories in the North of England and the prestigious Inter-Counties Championships, certainly didn’t lack confidence as he settled into the leading group from the off. On the tricky, twisting terrain which included a couple of manufactured inclines to disrupt the athletes’ rhythm, Leonard dug deep into his reserves as the race progressed. Going into the final lap the increased pressure set by Africa athletes eventually told on the Morpeth Harrier and he was back outside the top 10. However, with the finish line in sight he pulled out his trade-mark finish to eventually cross the line in ninth place and third counter for the England six-man squad. And his efforts were rewarded because, in the four-to-score team race, England finished with 35 points to receive the silver medals behind the Morocco quartet who totalled 28 points.
The race was won by Algeria’s Cherrad Oussama who covered the 4.5k course in 16min 09sec such was the quickness of the running surface.
Leonard came home just 26 seconds adrift of the winner to bring his campaign to a close though he, and the rest of the England team, did eventually find time to take in the surroundings as they warmed down gazing up at the Eiffel Tower!