CROSS COUNTRY: Blew shines at inter-counties (From This is The West Country)

CROSS COUNTRY: Blew shines at inter-counties

3:43pm Wednesday 13th March 2013 in Sport

CATH Blew produced Taunton Athletic Club’s performance of the day as Somerset athletes put in some impressive performances at the inter-counties championship at Cofton Park in Birmingham on Saturday.

The 20-year-old, in this her first year at senior level, put in a mature performance to finish 12th in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

Although there is no separate Under-23 championship at the world championships – for which the day’s races acting as a trial, Blew finished third in that age group.

She was just 13 seconds behind Jess Coulson who won gold at the European U23s Championships in December.

This result must surely move her a little higher up the England selectors lists after she covered the tough, eight kilometre course in just 28m 10s.

Ben Pointing was delighted to get a late call up for the senior men’s team and in his first major cross-country competition acquitted himself well to count as Avon and Somerset’s sixth scorer in 176th place (from nearly 300 finishers) in a time of 39m 13s.

After a recent lay off through injury 18-year-old Rachel Langbein made an impressive return to form, finishing 17th in the Under 20s competition.

Also finishing in 17th place was Sophie Jones (Under-13s). Clearly determined to make the TV cameras, Jones surged to the front of the 300 strong field at the start of the race and admirably managed to maintain her form to finish strongly. Other competing Taunton AC athletes justifying their selections with some strong performances were: Isaac Taschimowitz (Under 20) 134th, Joe Walton (Under 17) 75th, Archie Walton (Under 15) 149th, Kate Drew (Under 17) 112th, Grace Smalley (Under 17) 139th, Amelia Vance (Under 13) 31st and Jess Brown (Under 13) 177th.