ATHLETICS: THURROCK Harrier Gemma Holloway put up a great performance at Hylands Park at Chelmsford at the weekend and booked a place in the Essex squad at the Southern Schools Inter County Cross Country in Reading, Berkshire on Saturday 5 February.

The talented youngster, aged just 13, finished in 12th place despite a sore ankle and the awful running conditions at the Essex Cross country championship.

She was determined not to let it put her out of another race and even ended up in the St Johns tent afterwards with her ankle packed with ice.

Her excellent placing means that she will represent the county at the prestigious Southern Schools Inter county event early next month.

At the recent schools district Junior girls event in Thurrock, Gemma - a year nine student at William Edwards school in Grays - overcame a serious tendon injury to takee part in the Senior Schools District Cross Country Championships.

She took the gold medal for the third consecutive year.

The youngster finished first - way ahead of the rest of the runners in a comfortable 10mins 40secs.

l This Sunday will see the Thurrock Harriers marathon team take part in a gruelling race. They compete in the the Benfleet 15 mile cross country race as part of the Harriers’ long training schedule in the run up to the April’s London Marathon.

Harriers John Russell, Phil Oatham, Jason Syrett, John Green and Chris Scrivener will be taking on this energy sapping race which sets out from Canvey Island, through Hadleigh Downs to Leigh on Sea and back again.

John Russell said: “This is one of the toughest races we do.

“In some parts the mud is knee deep, especially after all this wet weather.

“We all have lost some training due to the snow in December so this is a test and gauge of our fitness.”