The forty-ninth English Youth's National Cross-Country Championships took place at Temple Park, South Shields. The course was 7km in length and covered one loop and one lap of the park.
Midland champion Tom Mayo (Cannock & Stafford AC) and Northern title winner Robert Brown (Elswick Harriers) set the early pace and Theo Boyce (Oadby & Wigston AC) and Martin Palmer (Westbury Harriers) weren't far behind. At the end of the first loop Brown led with Alex Oldfield (Kettering Town Harriers) joining the leaders. Brown was unable to match Oldfield's pace on the second lap and Oldfield was then passed by Kevin Nash (Aldershot, Farnham & District AC). Oldfield overcame the challenge from Nash on the run in to win by three seconds with Brown third.
Alex Oldfield told Athletics Weekly: "I felt good from the start, but I kept in off the wind. Then, around the back of the course with the wind behind us I got into the medals. I felt really strong and then I decided to pull away, but Kevin Nash came with me. But I knew I had it won along the finishing straight."
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