A 14-year-old from Swindon will represent England for the first time this weekend in the British and Irish Schools’ Cross Country International.
Teenager Finley Byrne, who is a student at Commonweal School, will be heading to Falkirk, Scotland, this weekend to make his England debut in the competition featuring the best young British runners.
The 14-year-old Swindon Harrier secured his first England vest after finishing fifth in the junior boys’ race at the English Schools Championships in Sussex, the best result of his young career to date.
Byrne said: “Before the race I was thinking it would be a struggle to get into the top ten but I was right up there for most of the race, in around sixth or seventh and had a strong finish to overtake a couple of lads.”
Just eight seconds covered second to eighth place with Byrne only three seconds off the bronze medal. That’s a remarkable improvement for the young runner, who just a year ago finished 163rd as a first-year junior.
Byrne added: “I think all-time that has to be my best result but probably not my favourite!
“It was very nice and now I have loads of England kit which is great and I’m looking forward to the schools’ international in Scotland next weekend.”
