Ten Croydon athletes take on the 2026 National XC Champs

Ten Croydon Harriers took on the nation’s best cross-country runners at the National Championships in Sedgefield on Saturday.

In the women’s race, Madeleine Armstrong-Plieth enjoyed her highest finish in the Championships in 133rd in the 531-strong field. Leanne Moore was 240th in the same race, while Leeds Uni colleague Millicent Figueira finished 93rd in the Junior Women’s contest.

Douglas Aikman led home the seven-strong men’s team, with a 218th placing in the 1200-plus field. The rest of the contingent consisted of Jacob Armstrong-Plieth (719th), Colin Oxlade (885th), Neil Aikman (894th), James Moore (903th) and Will Lyon Tupman (987th) to ensure the men’s team finished 66th. 

In parkrun action, 44 Croydon athletes took part with highlights including a first place finish for Phil Symonds at Corneston Lakes, while Isaac Flanagan was runner-up in Amsterdam and Luke Wakeling was fifth at Battersea out of over 1100 runners.