ATHLETES from schools in mid Cheshire have put themselves in contention to represent Cheshire at the English Schools’ Cross Country Championships in Leeds next month.

Students attempted to impress team selectors during the county championships at Delamere Forest on Saturday.

And some did exactly that.

Holly Weedall (Weaverham High School) and Grace Roberts (Hartford CoE High School) were first and second respectively in the junior girls’ race, a reversal of the order the Vale Royal Athletics Club teammates finished in at last month’s club championships.

Faye Conboy, of County High School Leftwich, took sixth place.

Harry Dexter (Sir John Deane’s College) trailed victor Matthew Willis, who represented Great Britain in the junior men’s race at the European Cross Country Championships in December, in the senior boys’ category.

Alex Doyle, who also studies at the Northwich sixth form college, was fifth.

Vale Royal's Ben Lee, representing Macclesfield as a Knutsford Academy student, was third.

There was a runners-up prize too for Patrick Griffith (St Nicholas RC High School) in the junior boys’ race, which he finished adrift of fellow Vale Royal member Will Ashfield (Abbey Gate College) who was racing in Chester’s colours.

Weaverham High School duo Ben Dunne and Alex Bennett classified inside the top 10 behind them.

Among the senior girls, Sir John Deane’s College pair Emily Lowery and Esme Bridge came home third and sixth respectively.

Beth Latham (Middlewich High School) was the pick of Mid Cheshire’s runners in the inter girls’ race, crossing the line 10th.

Vale Royal’s Holly Smith, representing South Cheshire as a student at Malbank School, was second behind victor Sion Heslop (Fallibroome Academy).

Aaron Doyle (Middlewich High School) and Ben Webb (St Nicholas RC High School) gave themselves a chance of making the county team after finishing sixth and eighth respectively in the inter boys’ class.

Of the youngest runners taking part last weekend, third-placed Josh Williamson (Weaverham High Schol) and Harry Goodwin (Hartford CoE High School) – who took seventh – starred in the minor boys’ race at the Northwich venue.

Cheshire’s team must be named by March 1.

Athletes will compete in the junior, inter and senior age-group categories at Temple Newsam Park on Saturday, March 17.

Results (selected Mid Cheshire representatives only)

Cheshire Schools' Cross Country Championships

Delamere Forest, Northwich

Senior boys

2. Harry Dexter (Sir John Deane's College); 5. Alex Doyle (Sir John Deane's College); 7. Chris Larkin (St Nicholas RC High School)

Senior girls

3. Emily Lowery (Sir John Deane's College); 6. Esme Bridge (Sir John Deane's College)

Inter boys

6. Aaron Doyle (Middlewich High School); 8. Ben Webb (St Nicholas RC High School)

Inter girls

10. Beth Latham (Middlewich High School)

Junior boys

2. Patrick Griffith (St Nicholas RC High School); 6. Ben Dunne (Weaverham High School); 7. Alex Bennett (Weaverham High School); 8. Lewis Edwards (County High School Leftwich)

Junior girls

1. Holly Weedall (Weaverham High School); 2. Grace Roberts (Hartford CoE High School); 6. Faye Conboy (County High School Leftwich); 10. Thea Smith (Grange School)