Alex Lennon crossing the line to take the senior boys' title. Photo: Onyeka Okoh for Vinco.

Alex Lennon and Katie Pye sealed a golden double for Surrey with victories in the senior races at the English Schools’ Athletics Association Cross Country Championships on Saturday.

Lennon and Pye were the standout performers on a day of high drama at Liverpool’s Sefton Park, which also saw Surrey win two titles in the team competitions. 

Defending champion Lennon stormed to an impressive win in the senior boys’ race, claiming his second major title in the space of a week after his U20 Inter-Counties triumph in Nottingham last weekend.

Meanwhile, Pye kept her cool in an enthralling battle with Sussex’s Ava James to claim her first English Schools senior title. 

Despite bright sunshine in Liverpool, conditions were still demanding at one of the most challenging cross country venues in the UK. 

Athletes in all races had to contend with blustery crosswinds and muddy conditions underfoot.

That didn’t stop Lennon, who held off a spirited challenge from North Yorkshire’s Jack Sanderson to win the senior boys’ race.

Cheshire’s Jack Marwood burst out of the pen to take an early lead, but was quickly reeled in by Norfolk’s Michael Clark. 

Sanderson edged into the lead early in the second lap, with Clark and Lennon hot on his heels. 

Clark had set his sights on victory ahead of the race, but he soon lost ground on Lennon and Sanderson at the head of the pack. 

Having finished a distant second behind Lennon in 2025, Sanderson managed to keep the favourite in check for much of the race this time around. 

Yet there was no stopping Lennon after he finally burst free on the final straight. 

The Surrey star punched the air as he crossed the line four seconds ahead of Sanderson in 19:08.

Pye battles to victory

Half an hour earlier in the senior girls’ race, Pye dug deep to beat the likes of James and British international Maisey Bellwood.

James had been among the favourites after winning the U20 Inter-Counties title the previous weekend, and she settled in at the head of the pack early on ahead of Bellwood.

As Bellwood began to fade in the second half of the 4.4-kilometre course, it was Pye who emerged instead as the major contender. 

Pye and James were shoulder to shoulder as they entered the final kilometre, setting up a nerve-jangling finale. 

It was Pye who had the edge, surging away from James as she came out of the final hairpin bend and racing down the home straight to victory.

She finished two seconds ahead of James in 15:32, with Devon’s Eleanor Foster in third. 

Big victories for Allen and Gibson 

The afternoon began with an impressive victory for London’s Sonny Allen in the intermediate girls’ race. 

U17 national champion Allen sat in the leading pack from the start, before racing away with a perfectly timed kick in the final kilometre.

She crossed the line in 12:36, 13 seconds ahead of Humberside’s Beth Lewis in second.

Third place went to last year’s junior race winner Gabrielle Pinder, while reigning intermediate champion Kitty Scott finished tenth. 

Kent’s Freddie Gibson produced a dominant performance to win the intermediate boys’ race. 

Having eased away from Cambridgeshire’s Finn MacLennan midway through the five-kilometre course, Gibson cupped a hand to his ear as he sauntered confidently down the home straight to victory.

He finished 12 seconds ahead of Hertfordshire’s Tom Ford in 15:49, with MacLennan coming in third. 

Photo finish for Da Silva

Luis Da Silva of Buckinghamshire won a thrilling junior boys’ race in a neck-and-neck finish with West Yorkshire’s Thomas Hastings. 

Both runners clocked 09:51 in the 3.2km course after a desperate sprint down the home straight, with the judges awarding victory to Da Silva. 

North Yorkshire’s Mia McGoldrick showed tactical nouse at a key moment to clinch the title junior girls’ race.

After a tightly contested race, McGoldrick kicked around the final hairpin bend to race home in 10:49. 

It was a successful day for Surrey in the team competitions as well, with victories in both the intermediate and junior girls’ races.

London narrowly edged Hampshire to the team title in the intermediate boys, while Kent took the win in the juniors. 

James’ second place finish helped Sussex to victory in the senior girls, while Suffolk claimed the boys’ title with five finishers in the top 50. 

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