STRATFORD-upon-Avon Athletic Club’s international athlete Alex Adams claimed a superb silver medal at the British Athletics Cross Challenge series in Perth, Scotland.
The 17-year-old was competing in the fourth round of five events in the series which pits the United Kingdom’s best cross country runners against each other.
And Adams rose to the challenge to claim his first podium finish in the series in a time of 19 minutes 46 seconds just eight seconds behind the race winner and three seconds clear of the bronze medal position at Scone Palace.
Adams said: “It was a great race on a great course. The pace was quick as expected so the field was very strung out early on but I got into a small group six or seven places from the front.
“I kept working until the second lap where I pushed on to catch the runners in front of me. I caught them up the hill on the last lap and pushed on knowing I had a medal but not wanting to settle for bronze.
“I took silver as I came into the home straight. It was a very tough course and the legs felt it but I knew I had to dig deep and hurt more than the others.
“I’m really happy to get my first Cross Challenge medal and put myself in contention for the series. I hope the good form continues further into 2023 and that I can finish the cross season strong.”
UKA’s Strategic Lead for Major Events, Cherry Alexander, said: “The Cross Challenge series is a fantastic opportunity for those athletes developing in the sport and it also provides competitive domestic racing opportunities for our British athletes to prepare them for Championships in the future.”
The teenage star missed the first event of the series in Cardiff due to injury but returned with a strong 10th place finish in Milton Keynes in November and bettered that to come home sixth in Liverpool later that same month.
An athletes’ best two performances, plus bonus points, will be carried forward into the final which will be held at Prestwold Hall, Loughborough, on Saturday, March 11.
And Adams competed for Stratford AC in their cross country league fixture at Nuneaton the following day and won his race comfortably to underline his future potential.
