Silver joy for E&H runner (From Enfield Independent)

Silver joy for E&H runner

8:10am Thursday 4th February 2010

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Despite having been laid low the previous weekend with a stomach bug, Enfield and Haringey AC’s Jon Pepper produced an incredible performance in the South of England Cross Country championships at Parliament Hill last Saturday.

A group of four runners, led by Bedford & County’s Neilson Hall followed closely by Pepper, broke away from the main field on the first lap of the senior men’s 15km race. On the second of the three 5km laps, Hall and Pepper eased away from the trailing pair only for the Bedford runner to put in an effort that found his EHAC training partner momentarily wanting. A large gap opened and the EHAC man’s supporters on the course began to worry that the two chasing runners, working together, could catch Pepper.

However, when the leaders came into sight on the final slope to the finish straight it was seen that Jon had closed most of the gap. The 21-year-old strode home for second place and his first major medal as a senior – an outstanding performance and the highest club placing in the senior championship for decades.

In the U20 age group, Ben Nagy finished 16th in the men’s race and Anna Sharrock was 18th in the women’s competition - both excellent positions in races packed with outstanding talent.

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