SARAH Waldron successfully defended her title in the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Schools Cross Country Championships when she collected the gold medal in the girls senior race.

The 17-year-old's success means that she qualified for the England Schools Championships at Mansfield on March 25.

England international Waldron, who lives at Pudleston and attends Worcester Sixth Form College, gave a convincing performance over the hilly course at Bredon School at Bushley, between Tewkesbury and Ledbury, to gain her second gold in two years. While the black-eye virus had a devastating impact upon the performances of several Herefordshire pupils at the annual championships, there were many gutsy and determined competitors, willing to give their all, for English Schools selection.

There were excellent performances by Matt Duggan (Bishop's) fifth and Luke Dunes (Kingstone) 11th in the junior boys race, which were emulated by Dan Gower (Bishop's) fifth, Gareth Thomas (Aylestone) eighth, Jon Money (Bishop's) ninth and Luke Mammatt (Whitecross) 14th in the inter boys category.

John Kyrle's Kelsi Smith had to work hard for a silver medal in the inter girls race, while Cathedral's Pippa Blandford had tough opposition in the senior girls race won by Waldron. Smith finished a creditable sixth.

Chloe Stanbridge (Cathedral) and Naomi Prosser (Fairfield) were the best of the junior girls, finishing 11th and 16th respectively, while one of the pre-race favourites Vanessa Brann (John Kyrle) had to withdraw due to illness.

Competitors who finished in the top six are guaranteed selection for the English Championships.