Callum Jones travelled up to the Midlands at the weekend for the Birmingham Cross Challenge, hoping for a good run after some confidence boosting training sessions but he went much better than even he would have dared hope, running the race of his life to gain a fantastic second place in this National level race, defeating in the process last year’s Under 15 English Schools Cross Country Champion, Michael McKeown.

Always up with the leaders, Callum gradually opened up a gap on the chasing pack and although he could never get back to the eventual winner, Halesowen’s Harvey Brown, by the long uphill sweep to the finish, he had a six second gap on third placer Luke Jacobs, another English Schools International  and he held this to the line.  Callum was also the first South West runner home, counting amongst his scalps that of local athlete and rival Newquay and Par’s Hobie Martin. 

Conor Robinson and James Waldie have shown with their exploits of the last two years that anything is possible with determination, self belief and lots of hard work and Callum is looking to follow in their footsteps. With three CAC clubmates, Sam Heslop-George, Tom Rawet and Andrew Worden, chasing him home in the first Westward League race, it looks as if he’s not the only one wanting a place in the spotllight.

Congratulations Callum on a great run.

PS  I also noticed that Callum heads the 2009 Cornwall Track and Field Rankings in four events, the 400m, 800m, 1500m and the JAVELIN!