THE county’s best young athletes turned out in force for the Devon Schools’ Cross-Country Championships, which took place on Saturday and hosted for a second year by Stover School.

Defending junior girls champion Molly Canham – a student at Torquay Girls’ Grammar School and running for South Devon – faced stiff competition to retain her title, with many pre-race reports suggesting that this race might well be the strongest due to the depth of talent among the Year 8 and 9 girls.

In sunny but cold conditions the girls set off at a typically fast pace, with Molly, who lives in Teignmouth, settling into an early lead.

By the time the field were midway through the first of the two-lap course, she had extended her lead to a comfortable 50 metres over here nearest competitors – Mount Kelly College’s Natasha Farrington and Colyton’s Caitlin Smith.

Despite the challenging conditions Molly managed to maintain the gap throughout the second lap to secure an emphatic win and gain automatic selection to the prestigious English Schools’ Cross-Country Championships, which take place in Nottingham in March.

Molly’s win means she has now achieved a rare triple success at the Devon Schools’ Championships – winning the minor girls’ title in 2014 and the junior girls’ title in both 2015 (as a Year 8) and 2016.

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