Hastings talent crowned county champion

Lizzie Clarke, who is on fire at the moment, won the senior girls’ race in Dover on Saturday by quite a margin in a time of 13 minutes and 22 seconds.

The result came just a couple of weeks after Clarke performed very well to come second in a very strong under-20 women’s field at the Kent Cross-Country Championships at Brands Hatch.

See also: * Hastings Academy student wins county title* Hastings Athletic Club stages ‘best ever’ Sussex Championships* Horntye Park: Clubs could lose home venues if site is sold for housing

Another Hastings AC member, James Crombie, competed at the Kent Schools’ Championships, finishing eighth in the intermediate boys’ race in 19:34.

Many of Hastings AC’s adult distance runners have also been in action over the past fortnight.

A dozen took part in the East Sussex Sunday Cross-Country League match at Ashdown Forest.

Paul Bennett led them home in 15th place, and was followed by Martin Watts (56th, 34:38), Chris Hawkes (70th, 35:38), Harry Trend (72nd, 35:49), Chris Brandt (74th, 35:56), Dave Turner (94th, 36:59), Jamie Kennedy (156th, 40:30), Kate Barlow (189th, 42:29), Maria Mitchell (216th, 43:34), Joanna Body (221st, 43:51), Amanda Ling (230th, 44:05) and Paul Rackstraw (251st, 45:25).

That was the fourth of the league’s six matches. The remaining ones are at Heathfield Park next month and Pett in March.

Six runners lined-up in the Sussex Veterans’ Championships at Lancing on Saturday.

In the ladies’ race, Riz Maslen was 18th in 34:44, Becky Mabon 21st in 35:42, Katie Arnold 43rd in 39:28 and Suzy Frost 48th in 40:23.

Chris Brandt was 27th in the over-50 men’s race in 33:34 and Terry Puxty 41st in the over-40 men’s event in 37:02.