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You are here >> Home - News - News ItemNews Item10 February 2026Greater Manchester Schools X-Country Results The Greater Manchester Schools x-country took place as usual at Heaton Park, but with a changed course. Combined with the dry weather this made it a faster short course rather than the previous hillier muddy course.
In the primary school races, for school years 5 and 6, it was two year 5 Trafford boys who excelled. Toby O'Brien made a steady start close to the leaders then in the second half moved into the lead which he held to the finish. Obhran Nash also moved through well to finish 10th.
In the year 7 race girls race Cora Black and Betsy Widdop paced the race well finishing 5th and 11th out of the 79 finishers.
In the school year 8 & 9 race, where the top 8 qualified to represent Greater Manchester at March's English Schools x-country National final, Trafford girls ran well with Amelia Galpin (27th), Daisy Heap (28th), May Gibbons-Hughes (42nd) and Mya Black (48th). The boys race saw more Trafford runners up at the front of the race. Thomas Daly leading the charge looking full of running in 3rd place. Ethan O’Brien had his best run of the winter, inspired after watching his younger brother win the minor boys race, Ethan just missed out on his first Greater Manchester vest in 9th place. Close behind Ethan was Ned Farncombe (11th), Oscar Bundy (16th), Stan Barber (20th) and Emanuele Calisti (24th).
In the Intermediate races for school years 10 and 11, Adrian White set the early pace, maintaining it to win by 22 seconds. Second place went to Adrian's Trafford teammate Ben Gardner who got the better of Stockports Harry Shatwell in the closing stages, the top 3 well clear of the rest of the field. Further back Arlo Mander-Tullius held on to 7th place after getting spiked that ripped open his shoe when he was in the battle for 4th place. Last year Logan Grocott ran his first ever race finishing 47th as a top year junior boy. After a year's training, having just missed out on making the Greater Manchester Clubs team in December, he finished the strongest just edging out his teammate Isaac Bury to claim 8th place with Isaac in 9th. Isaac, another athlete new to running, has also made great strides this winter and with both runners having another year in this age group further strides forward should come. Also finishing top half of the field was Sam Ingleby-Castleton (15th) and Joe Thomas (24th). In the inter girls race Sarah Smith was the sole Trafford runner finishing 15th out of the 44 finishers.
The senior (school years 12 & 13) races saw Rachel Bowden close to the team in 10th and an improved run by Rafaella Ingleby-Castleton in 13th. The Boys race was a steady start with a pack of 20 athletes. Then last year's 1st and 2nd (Jay Hutchinson and Fin Goddard of Sale) broke clear along with Pio Aron. Five runners got clear in the chasing group meaning the top 8 places looked assured. Fin Goddard pushed on at the start of the last lap to pull clear, with Jay Hutchinson finishing 9 seconds behind and Pio Aron 3rd. Tio Austin was the strongest from the lead group finishing 4th and Fin Dobson Emmas made it 4 Trafford runners in the top 5. Thomas Amaral again showed his increased stamina coming through for 9th and with Evan Lewis 12th, Evan Horwell 14th and Alfie Bundy 15th Trafford had 8 runners in the top 14.
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