Gibbon crowned women’s champion

JESSICA GIBBON was crowned champion at the Saucony English National Cross Country Championships on Saturday.

The South of England champion, who lives in Rotherfield Greys, finished the 8km course around Parliament Hill in a time of 29 minutes exactly with North of England champion Eleanor Bolton runner-up eight seconds later.

Gibbon, who won the Goring 10km earlier this year, had a previous best of fourth at this event and her win comes after a season in which she had finished 11th in the Europeans.

Towards the end of the first shorter lap after 10 minutes of running Gibbon was a stride ahead of Bolton and Olympic triathlon silver medallist Georgia Taylor-Brown who had three seconds on Jennifer Walsh.

Four minutes later up the second hill of the long lap, Gibbons had a gap of around eight metres on Bolton who had a similar lead on Taylor-Brown.

Gibbon pushed on over the rest of the big lap to secure the title in muddy conditions.