With all club training and competitions still not allowed under the current lockdown, club athletes took the opportunity to compete in the Chelmsford Virtual Junior Challenge last week.

Athletes had to run designated distances between February 13 and 20 within a reasonable distance from home, under adult supervision. They then recorded their times on permitted running apps, and submitted these to the organisers.

Club teams came out on top in three age groups, and added a runners-up and third placed team, with two individual runners-up and two third place finishes.

Overall an impressive 36 club athletes took part and the club had the most finishers in two age groups.

The victories were achieved by the Under 13 boys, with Findlay McLaren second and Jack West third, with Freddie Rowe in 8th, and both Under 17 teams as runner-up Alex Ford, third placed Dan Peters and Matt Blacklock in 7th, took the men’s honours, while Maddie Barker (4th), Natalie Sewell (5th) and Hannah Yexley (12th) won the women’s equivalent.

Freya Long (6th) and Charlotte & Hannah Evans (8th & 11th) were Under 15 girls’ runners-up. Daniel Lamas (9th), Ryan Carroll (10th) and Oliver Taylor-Bush (12th) placed third for the U15 boys.

The Under 13 Girls trio of Maggie Smith, Rosie Warner and Abigail Rogers were 8th.

Results:

U13B (3km) - 1st (2nd Findlay McLaren, 3rd Jack West, 8th Freddie Rowe); B team – 8th: (16th Teddy Stanbridge, 17th Shea Sweeney, 36th Waeel Kabuye)

U13G (3km) - 8th (5th Maggie Smith, 20th Rosie Warner, 48th Abigail Rogers)

U15B (4km) - 3rd (9th Daniel Lammas, 10th Ryan Carroll, 12th Oliver Taylor-Bush); B Team 4th - (17th Toby Johnson, 19th Owen Fisher, 20th Finley Wolton); C team: 6th (Joshua Lee Prime, 23rd Joseph Gray, 25th Archie Winney); Also 26th Charlie Burgess & 28th Waleed Kabuye - HAC - most competitors

U15G (4km) - 2nd - (6th Freya Long, 8th Charlotte Evans, 11th Hannah Evans) Also 15th Abi Swan & 25th Lucy Bacon

U17M (5km) - 1st - (2nd - Alex Ford, =3rd Dan Peters, 7th Matt Blacklock)

U17W (5km) - 1st - (4th - Maddie Barker, 5th Natalie Sewell, 12th Hannah Yexley); B Team 6th (Morgan Romain, 20th Ella Burgess, 21st Jessica Wright); Also 22nd Ruby Guynan & 23rd Chloe Ward. - HAC - most competitors