HERCULES Wimbledon Athletic Club’s young cross country runners concluded their Downs League programme with a fine hat-trick of wins and narrowly failed to make it four out of four team wins for the season, taking runners-up spot in their fourth event, writes Tom Pollak.

In the final match of the season on Epsom Downs, Hercules Wimbledon’s young guns won two races and a hat-trick of team contests. Leading the way was Theo Creed who won the Under-11 boys 2.2km race in eight minutes 25 seconds, finishing 20 seconds ahead of his Hercules Wimbledon clubmate Max Harrison. It also meant he clinched the boys Under-11 individual title for the season leading Hercules Wimbledon to the individual and team double with Cyrus Sheikh fourth in 8:33 and Thomas Hennigan eighth in 9:09.

In comfortably winning the final match, the youngsters leapfrogged from third to first place to take the league title with 184 points pipping rivals Herne Hill on the same points, with South London Harriers third on 234.

Hercules Wimbledon’s Under-11 girls team also triumphed with Poppy Guest, second in 9:15, leading the team to victory both on the day and for the season. Blanka Domsodi (sixth in 9:42), Freia Harper-Tee (ninth in 9:59) and Tara Oliver (14th in 10:43) completed the winning team.

Final Under-11 girls standings: 1 Hercules Wimbledon 136; 2 South London Harriers 226; 3 Herne Hill 234.

Hercules Wimbledon’s youngsters completed the hat-trick of wins by taking the season’s girls Under-13 team title. Leading Hercules Wimbledon finisher in the final match was Isabella Harrison who finished seven seconds behind the winner in 12:30. Iona Alexander was fourth 15 seconds later with Mae Losson (sixth in 12:52) and Martha Eminson (13th in 13:55) completing the team.

Final Under-13 girls standings: 1 Hercules Wimbledon 78; 2 Herne Hill 201; 3 Kingston and Polytechnic 222.

Despite comfortably winning the final boys Under-13 match, Hercules Wimbledon narrowly failed to take the team title for the season. But, Hercules Wimbledon did provide the season’s individual winner in Harry Allen who won the final race in a thrilling finish by two seconds in 11:31. In his three previous races he was third and sixth twice. With Zach Elliott (seventh in 11:57), Max Williams (eighth in 12:01) and George Macklin (10th in 12:11), Hercules Wimbledon won with 26 points ahead of South London Harriers (42) and Epsom & Ewell (52).

Final Under-13 boys standings: 1 South London Harriers 160; 2 Hercules Wimbledon 174; 3 Herne Hill 203.

After their fine placing in the South of England 12-stage road relay championship at Milton Keynes last month, Hercules Wimbledon’s road runners travel to Sutton Park, Birmingham, for the English National 12-stage road relay championship this weekend aiming to finishing in the top dozen to improve on the 13th place the club managed in 2018. Team manager Keith Scofield is hopeful all of the successful Southern team will be available.

Hercules Wimbledon’s Tom Cheetham, whose aiming to complete his 100th marathon in 2022, was the second over 55 veteran finisher in the Runthrough Battersea Park Chase the Moon 10km road race in 41:42, his fastest time of the year.