SWINDON Harriers newcomer Hannah Claydon has made quite an impact since joining the club.

The 22-year-old, from Marlborough, only switched from Marlborough & District Juniors (MADJA) in the summer but since then, has been making a name for herself in the Wiltshire Off-Road League.

On Sunday, she won the White Horse Gallop 8 in Westbury to add to her success in the Marshfield Mudlark earlier in the month and now has the overall title in her sights with four fixtures remaining.

“The Wiltshire athletics guy actually said I ought to go for it and now I have two wins out of two,” said Claydon.

“It was my goal to try and win but I have to say it was also quite a surprise.

“I will run the Wickstead Wander (in Highworth) next month and then the Tri-Counties Cross Country Championships at Bath University in December.

“It is nice to mix the races up with some cross country and then I will probably return to the road in the spring and do some track in the summer.”

Claydon, who is a former student at St John’s School in Marlborough, was a multi-eventer at MADJA – she also had a brief spell with Team Bath AC - and represented Wiltshire at the English Schools’ Combined Events Championships, finishing 20th in the senior girls’ age group.

Since leaving school and starting a three-year course at Wiltshire College in Lackham, Claydon has struggled to find the time and opportunity for the track and has competed infrequently.

However, her recent wins have shown she is a talented runner and with a structured training programme, is now starting to reap the rewards of her hard work.

“If I am going to put in all this effort, I want to do as well as I can and I am enjoying it,” she added.

Also in the White Horse event, Old Town’s Stuart Temple, of Swindon club Slinn Allstars finished third behind winner Matt Battensby of Bristol & West AC, with Heath Bampton of Royal Wootton Bassett Hounds second.