International glory for Shropshire's Zoe Gilbody in schools race
Zoe Gilbody is celebrating a stunning double for England in the Schools International Cross Country Championships.
The Thomas Telford School pupil tasted individual and team success in the event, at Sefton Park, in Liverpool.
She won the intermediate girls’ race to become only the fourth Shropshire athlete to win an English Schools cross country title, repeating the victory she enjoyed four years ago in the junior category.
On an historic day for Shropshire, Beth Trow, from The Corbet School, Baschurch, finished 14th in the same race as Gilbody. It was the first time two runners had been selected from the county to run in the race.
And their efforts helped England storm to victory in the team event, ahead of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Gilbody went into the race as favourite having won the English title. She ran steady in the pack for the first lap, then hit the front and was never headed, winning in 13mins 7seconds, with her England team-mate Isobelle Jones 15 seconds behind in second.
Trow ran well to finish in a time of 14.04.
