GB juniors go one-two in world champs mountain race

Jess Bailey and Rebecca Flaherty win gold and silver in the under-20 women’s up-and-downhill event on the final day at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai

British runners ended the inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Sunday (Nov 6) with a number of medals in the up-and-downhill mountain race.

Jess Bailey and Rebecca Flaherty finished one-two in the junior women’s race as they led Britain to team gold medals in the hot and humid conditions.

Elsewhere there was a team silver for the senior women’s squad and team bronze in the junior men’s race on a day that was otherwise dominated by mountain runners from Uganda.

Bailey, who runs for Leven Valley in Cumbria, clocked 26:27 in the 6.4km junior women’s race as runner-up Flaherty of Bingley Harriers (above left) ran 27:45.

Axelle Vicari of Italy (above right) was third with Ellen Weir ensuring Britain won team gold as she finished fourth with team-mate Emily Gibbins 18th. With a near perfect score of seven points it meant Britain easily won the team competition from Italy and France.

Uganda were even more dominant in the junior men’s race as Leonard Chemutai, Caleb Tungwet, Denis Kiplangat and Silas Rotich swept the top four positions with Chemutai beating his team-mates by more than half a minute to take individual gold.

Leonard Chemutai (Marco Gulberti)

Finlay Grant ran superbly to finish fifth for Britain as he led his squad to team bronze just one point behind silver medallists France.

Grant was supported by Fraser Gilmour in 10th, William Longden in 19th and Edward Corden in 26th.

Uganda also enjoyed huge success in the senior races, but there was more silverware for Britain too.

Both races were over 11.2km with a steep technical loop sandwiched by flat, fast running that went in and out of Chiang Mai.

Samuel Kibet of Uganda clocked 40:02 to win the men’s title by 10 seconds from Patrick Kipngeno of Kenya.

Kipngeno had won the uphill-only title on the first day of the championships but could not stay with Kibet here and the winner was backed up by team-mates Timothy Toroitich, Leonard Chemonges and Eliud Cherop in third, fourth and fifth respectively as they took the team title with ease from Spain and Italy.

Samuel Kibet (Marco Gulberti)

In 17th, Andrew Douglas led the Brits home with Ross Gollan 20th, Chris Richards 24th and Alexander Chepelin 28th.

Rebecca Cheptegei and…