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Hobie Martin emerged victorious to receive his winner’s medal from Prince Harry after a nail biting conclusion to the Men’s Under 17 race at the Virgin London Mini Marathon writes Tom McCook.

The Cornishman, who is coached by John Knowles, was one of a trio of runners who were separated by just one second; just did enough to snatch the verdict as he and City of Norwich AC’s Tom Hook crossed the finishing line together in a time of 14 minutes 39 seconds with Scotland’s Neil Gourley in third place.  Since finishing eighteenth a year ago, the 17-year old Bristol and West AC runner has made a significant impact on the national stage on a variety of surfaces. After finishing second in the English Schools 3,000 metres at Gateshead Stadium last July, the Treharras School student from Perranporth was crowned the England Under 17 champion over the same distance at Bedford in August.  Over the winter, the teenager finished runner up in the McCain Challenge at Cardiff, third in National Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill and fourth at the Inter Counties' at Cofton Park.

Team Bath AC’s Wiltshire Schools and South West Inter Counties' champion Alex Carter, who is coached by Adrian Clover, improved by 21 places in the Under 15 Age group a year ago to eighth in 14:53 in the Under 17 event.

Poole AC’s Benedict Westhenry (16th) and Wells City’s Matthew Dickson (25th) provided sufficient fire power to enable the South West to finish second in the Men’s Under 17 team competition with a score of 50 points.

Poole AC’s 14-year old Elisabeth Hood, who is coached by Mark Pauley, and who was the winner of the McCain Cross Challenge races in both Bristol and Cardiff; improved by 53 seconds and seven places compared with last year in the lower age group to fifth place in the Girls Under 15 race in a time of 17 mins 30 secs.

City of Plymouth’s Doaa Shayea was runner up in the Girls' under 14 Wheelchair event in a time of 20 mins 31 secs. 

Click here for a Playground to Podium story featuring Doaa.

Photos of the SW U17 Men and the SW wheelchair marathon team by Sonya Ellis

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