JACK Gunning produced the best race of his young career to date to make the podium for the first time at the 2018 Wiltshire Schools’ Cross Country Championships.

The 13-year-old Commonweal School student shocked himself and his Swindon Harriers’ coach Bryan Clinton as he exceeded his expectations to win the bronze medal in the junior boys’ race with a perfectly executed performance.

“A bronze medal was not what I planned,” said Gunning, who lives in Rushy Platt.

“I was just looking to get into the team for the South West Schools’ Championships and finish in the top 10 while a top five would have been really good.

“I had not even thought about a medal.”

But as coach Clinton observed, Gunning made the very best of his form to deliver his best-ever performance.

“I was quietly confident that Jack could qualify for the Wiltshire team but he is over the moon with that and rightly so as that is his best race of the past year,” said Clinton.

“I think he knew the top two boys were gone and didn’t bother trying to chase them. Instead, he covered all the other moves and clearly thought about his race tactics and what he needed to do.

“Basically he won his own race to finish third and I am so pleased for him as he has worked really hard in training and put the hours in. He has really earned that bronze medal.”

The Bishop Wordsworth School pair of Robert Jones and Lukas Bailey dominated the race, finishing 48 seconds clear of Gunning, who had a good battle with Highworth School’s Rian Clarke for the bronze medal.

“When I moved into fourth, the other lad was 20 metres ahead of me but I was feeling in control at that point,” added Gunning.

“I was working hard to catch him up and when I did we stayed together until the last 300m when I really went for it. That is definitely my best performance so far.”

Clinton was also delighted to see Harriet Hillman race to victory in the minor girls’ race.

The youngster, who lives at Braydon and is at St Mary’s School, Calne, is a member of his Harriers’ training group and was a class apart as she dominated the event from the gun.

Marlborough College student Molly Gibbins won the senior girls’ title last year but on Saturday, she had to settle for the silver as Corsham School’s Jade Littlechild sprinted to victory in the closing stages of a thrilling clash.

Another Harriers’ success came in the inter boys’ age group with Max Sockett of Royal Wootton Bassett School earning an excellent silver behind Rory Howorth.

Sockett is a member of Kevin Buttle’s coaching group and his medal follows up his creditable 12th place in the South West Inter-Counties Championships at Yeovil.

In the same race, Lydiard Park’s Patrick Mochan finished seventh to also qualify for the county team to represent Wiltshire at the South West Schools’ Championships in Devon next month.