Will Barnicoat ran to victory in the under 23s’ race at the European Cross Country Championships in Brussels on Sunday, a year after taking the u20s’ crown. The Aldershot Farnham & District athlete was one of a trio that broke away from the field during the second half of the seven-kilometre event, along with Valentin Bresc of France and his Great Britain team mate Matt Stonier, a member of Invicta East Kent. The latter then dropped back, leaving Barnicoat and Bresc to fight a battle that went to the line where both were given the same time but the verdict to the Briton. Stonier took the bronze medal and Barnicoat another gold by leading GB to the team honours ahead of the French.
His AFD club mate, Katie Pye, competed in the u20 women’s race where the British won another team title. A bottom-year u17, she was 28th out of 80 finishers.