Over 30+ Croydon Harriers take on the National XC at Parliament Hill

26 Mar 2025

Over thirty Croydon Harriers took part in the gruelling National Cross-Country Championships on Saturday at Parliament Hill in what was widely considered the worst conditions ever seen at the event.

Zoha Jetha would secure Croydon’s highest finish of the day, placing 58^th in the junior women’s race, ably supported by Millie Figueria in 120^th. Ernesto Kelly would secure the highest boys finish of the day in 63^rd, leading home the squad of Francis Bambury (148^th), Lukas Barsauskas (267^th) and Conor Leahy (333^rd) to 29^th in the team standings.

Other leading young athlete runners included: Malaika Trim (141^st, Under 13 Girls), Douglas Aikman (141^st, Under 20 Men), Caroline Kennefick (143^rd, Under 17 Women), Aida Palomares-Dominguez (235^th, Under 15 Girls), Sean Leahy (169^th, Under 17 Men) and Keelan Hylton (234^th, Under 13 Boys).

Madeleine Armstrong-Plieth secured her third top 200 finish in this event finishing 196^th. She was backed by Leanne Moore (405^th) and Miriam De Souza (687^th).

The men’s team were led home by Ben Chapman who also broke the top 200 finishers barrier also in 196^th. He was joined by Phil Symonds (357^th), Luke Wakeling (559^th), Josh Haasz (1033^rd), Jacob Armstrong-Plieth (1045^th) and Harry Speedy (1108^th) with the team finishing 60^thoverall. Thomas McQuade (1264^th), Will Lyon Tupman (1505^th) and James Moore (1566^th) would complete the nine to score team who would finish 44^th.