Since 1972 King Henry VIII School in Coventry has hosted what is now regarded by many as the best inter-school cross country relay race in the UK.
The best schools in the senior under 19 category are invited to this event with St Michael’s Enniskillen the first team from Northern Ireland in 25 years to take up the invite to race last Thursday.
The boys race is a six-stage event with each athlete running a distance of 2.3 miles on what is a relatively flat loop which comprises of pavement, grass and woodland surfaces.
The Enniskillen outfit had two teams amongst the 50 who faced the starter, with Jamie McDonnell and Patrick Sprice the lead-off runners for their respective teams.
Despite a faltering start where McDonnell lost the baton in the scramble at the start, recovered well and put in a good performance to finish 5th overall.
While the ‘second’ squad also had an excellent performance placing 22nd overall.
The performance will undoubtedly stand to the boys who line up in the Ulster Schools’ Cross Country Finals in Mallusk this week.
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