SWINDON Harriers’ teenage javelin sensation Hannah Lewington celebrated her England debut with second place at the Vaxjo Indoor Throwing competition in Sweden last weekend.

The 16-year-old was named in a 20-strong squad for the indoor event and surpassed expectations by landing a medal.

She said: “I really loved being part of a team and competing for England. It was incredible.”

Elsewhere, the Harriers racked up an impressive tally of five individual medals and five team ones from the 2022/23 Oxfordshire Cross Country League season.

There was success everywhere, from Charissa Griffiths-Clack’s silver in the U11s to Courtenay Chessell romping to victory in the veterans’ over-40s category.

Harry Burdekin finished second overall to lead the U13 boys’ to team gold, with Chloe Powell collecting bronze in the senior women’s.

But the headline maker was Simon Byrne, who not only wrapped up the senior men’s individual title for the second time in three years but also led the Harriers to a crushing team victory, beating Newbury by 565 points, the biggest in league history. It was also the third successive year that the men have lifted the trophy.

“It is an incredible record,” said team manager and coach Bryan Clinton.

“The men have a really good thing going at the moment, and there is a great spirit and atmosphere.

“Overall, it was a really good day for everyone involved in the club. We are putting ourselves on the map.”

Clinton was particularly pleased to see the women win the Division Three title with Powell leading by example.

“When I joined the club in 2019, the men were already strong and I know the club was keen to mirror their success. I can see that starting to happen now,” said Powell.

“I know we have some very good talented juniors in the club and this shows there is a pathway for them to progress.”

In the U13 girls’ Elise Scrase, Freya McMeeking, Carys Prosser and Molly Lyne all made the top ten overall thereby ensuring overall team silver.

The U15 girls’ also won team bronze with Meredith Prosser seventh while in the U11s Lowri Prosser impressed to finish fifth overall with Pippa Wall 10th.

Molly McMeeking (fourth) was the best placed Harrier in the U9s and Harry Edwards was fifth in the U17 men’s event.