Bekcy Penty

Becky Penty finished second as Highgate Harriers’ women won the team event in the Middlesex Championships at Wormwood Scrubs on Saturday.

Alexia Trafford

Penty, who is gradually returning to her best form, ran 33 minutes 27 seconds to finish as the runner-up.

She was closely followed by third-placed Katie Meredith (34:23) and fifth-placed Esther Evans (35:10), while Alexia Trafford (37:57) completed the top four scorers in 16th place.

That left Highgate top of the pile with 26 points, while London Heathside were second with 38.

Sophie Sheldrake also ran well, coming 33rd ahead of her fellow club-mates Rhonda Munnik, Natasha Cendrowicz, Alex Goodwin and Sarah Chapman.

In the men’s race, Henry Dodwell was fifth in 42:41 ahead of Ryan McKinlay (ninth in 43:50) and Luke McMullen (15th in 44:41).

Stephen Whiting was 16th in 44:50, Chris Beecham was 21st (45:21) and Nick Gold finished 40th in 47:45.

That gave the Highgate team 106 points and they came second behind Hillingdon (82), while London Heathside were fourth (171).

Meanwhile, in the junior ranks, the Harriers won the Under-15 boys’ race.

Terry Fawden led for the first mile before ultimately coming seventh in 15:57, ahead of Ben Hatch (ninth in 16:04) and James Millett (12th in 16:35) as Highgate won with 28 points.

Elsewhere Georgia Fear, who attends West Hampstead School, was first out of 43 finishers in the girls’ Under-15 race, clocking 17:19.

She was followed by ninth-placed Marjolaine Briscoe (19:07) and 12th-placed Ellie Doolan (19:14) as the top trio combined for a total of 21 points, leaving the Highgate team second behind Thames Valley Harriers (15).

Highgate’s Hannah Viner also impressed to come second in the Under-17s girls’ race, clocking 21:56 and beating all of the Under-20 competitors as well.

Dempster Fawden was sixth in the Under-13 boys’ race in 11:26, while Ollie Jones-Hughes came 43rd (13:21) – and Peter Laing was 34th in the Under-17 race.

The Harriers’ Under-13 girls team were second with 38 points. Lucy Fitzpatrick was ninth (12:25), ahead of Anna Willis (14th in 12:44), Cecily Turner (15th in 12:45) and Emma Willets (22nd in 13.42).