In December, 12 runners from Malvern College, representing all year groups, competed in the Malvern Hills District Cross Country event. A very muddy course greeted the runners, who faced strong competition from students representing six other local schools.
There were several outstanding performances on the day, highlighted by Jess W. (H6) and Austin L. (H1), who won the Inter Girls and Senior Boys races respectively.
Following their success at the District event, nine Malvern College runners were selected to represent Herefordshire & Worcestershire at the County Cross Country Championships in January, hosted at Bromsgrove School. This prestigious event brings together the best runners from schools across the region, with places in the national competition at stake.
Although not all nine selected runners were able to attend, a strong Malvern College team competed across the various age-group races throughout the afternoon. On a bitterly cold and rainy day, Benedikt N. (H9), Amaya F. (EH) and Austin L. (H1) delivered excellent performances to secure their places in the county team.
The Herefordshire & Worcestershire team then travelled to Liverpool in March to compete in the English Schools Cross Country Championships at Sefton Park. One of the most prestigious events in the cross country calendar, the championships featured more than 3,000 runners across six races, including many current and former national champions.
In the Inter Boys (Years 10–11) race, Benedikt N. worked hard to secure a solid 283rd place in his second year competing at the event. In the Senior Girls race, Amaya F., competing at this level for the first time, ran strongly to finish 191st. In the final race of the day, Austin L. competed in the Senior Boys race and, despite managing an injury, battled to finish 283rd.
All three runners represented both the College and the county admirably and gained valuable experience competing against the best school runners in England.
With several of these athletes — along with other Malvern College runners — eligible to return next year, the College looks forward to seeing them continue their cross country journeys and build on this year’s achievements.