Swindon Harriers athlete Finley Byrne ran himself into the top ten in the country with a terrific performance at the Saucony English Cross Country Championships.

Competing at Weston Park, Shropshire, Byrne carried on his success from a very strong season and proved himself to be one of the best cross-country runners in his age group at the championships.

Racing in the under-13 boys’ age group for the final time Byrne committed himself from the gun and had to battle the whole way before finishing 10th.

The Wiltshire cross country champion at the age group from 2023 finished second in the Oxfordshire League and improved on his previous best performance at a national event of 52nd from the Inter Counties Cross Country Championships in March.

After finishing the race, Byrne said: “That was the hardest race I have ever run. Basically, I think I went off too hard so I definitely suffered. It was really hard.

“It is my best ever performance and I think I’m happy about it, but just not really sure yet.”

Nonetheless, Byrne will have learned a lot from the experience and his massive improvement to finish tenth in the country represents a terrific performance and his consistent development over the season.

With solid support from James Mayneord, newcomer Ben Conway and Olly Hughes the under-13 boys’ team finished a very creditable tenth overall with further good runs by non-scorers Toby Wood and Dylan Necrews.

The only senior who made the trip was Isaac McAdam, who came 100th of the 529 finishers while Alex Leake was 154th in the under-15 boys’ age group.

Contesting her first national championships in the under-13 girls’ race Charissa Griffiths-Clack continued the fine form she has been showing on the track with 50th place which augurs well for the winter in her new age group.