A number of Bicester AC athletes represented their respective schools in the recently contested Oxfordshire Schools Cross Country Championships held at Cokethorpe School, Witney. This also acts as a selection race for the English Schools Cross Country Championships where 8 places are available with the top 6 finishers in each category earning a place by right. The English Schools Cross Country Championships will take place this year at Sefton Park Liverpool on 14 March 2026.
Reigning English Schools Cross Country Champion, Bicester AC’s Leo Blyton, contested the intermediate boy’s race contested over an approximate 5km. The race attracted 66 competitors and Blyton was one of the 5 Bicester AC athletes who toed the starting line. And it was to be a successful day for Blyton who dominated proceedings with an emphatic win crossing the line in a winning time of 17mins 33secs. Bicester AC’s Alex Collins, who is in his first season of competitive cross country, was one of three athletes who were scrapping for runner up spot. In the event Collins got the verdict for 3rd (17mins 59secs) just 4 seconds off runner up spot to earn selection for the National Schools Championship along Blyton. All other Bicester AC athletes made the top half of finishers. Jago Newton just failed to break in to the top ten finishing 11th in 19mins 25secs. He was followed home by Erlgean-Appiahkorang-Mensah in 17th (20mins 02secs) with Max Finnegan 25th in 20mins 45secs.
Bicester AC athletes were also prominent amongst the finishers in the minor boy’s contested oven an approximate 3km circuit. Charlie Simpson just missed out on automatic selection for the English Schools in 7th place in the 72 strong field with a 12mins 51secs clocking. Barnaby Wilson was not far behind in 11th place with a time of 13mins 16secs.
A number of Bicester AC athletes contested the junior boy’s run over an approximate 3.5km course which attracted a big field of 99 finishers. First Bicester AC finisher was Cameron Waters who was 33rd (14mins 21secs). He was followed home by Harry Cruikshank in 35th. Next in was Ralf Sprogis who was 37th with Charlie Joiner finishing in 50th place.
Bicester AC had just one athlete in the minor girl’s event run over approximate 3km. Hannah Parsons ran well for 16th in the 62 strong field clocking 15mins 11secs.