Cross-country: National challenge for South Yorkshire athletes

Rotherham and Hallamshire field strong teams in the women’s race.

Rotherham, silver medallists in the Northern Relay, make one change from that team, bringing in Steph Burns for Natasha Hatswell, Burns being marginally faster running for the B team in the Northern.

Hallamshire were fourth in the Northern and make a significant change, international Hatti Archer coming in for Imani Wilson who leads Hallamshire in the under-20 race. Archer teams up with Zanthe Wray and Nicky Squires.

In the U-17 men’s race, Northern champions City of Sheffield and Dearne should be well placed with their Northern trio of Alfie Manthorpe, Julian Slater and Connor Henderson.

Other strong teams are Rotherham in the U-17 women’s race and Hallamshire in the U-15 girls event.

However, the best South Yorkshire medal prospects are Hallamshire in the U-13 girls race.

They won the Northern by a huge margin with Ruby Simpson, Emma Shipley and Zena Hartley and it will take a very good team to beat them tomorrow.