ALBON FOURTH AT WORLD MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPS

Trail world champion Jonathan Albon narrowly missed out on a medal as the British team added further top-ten finishes from the second and final day of the World Mountain Running Championships in Villa La Angostura, Argentina.

Gold medals for Joe Dugdale (Copeland) and the junior men’s team and bronze medals for Phillipa Williams (Sheffield RC) and the senior women’s team in the classic discipline on day one was so nearly added to by Albon, who finished fourth as the long distance took centre stage.

Seven Brits in total tackled the long distance with reigning world champion Charlotte Morgan (Carnethy) the highest Brit in the women’s event as she placed seventh while Albon’s fourth was added to as the men’s team finished in the same position overall.

Albon was a clear fourth as he clocked a time of 3:22:10 however the bronze medal, won by Spain’s Oriol Cardona in 3:20:24, was just out of reach. So was bronze for the men’s team with Nick Swinburn (Lindsay Dunn; Morpeth) the next home in 18th in 3:33:46.

Sebastian Batchelor (City of York), making his third British appearance of the year, was 26th in 3:37:08 and Jack Wood (Ilkley), who was a late inclusion onto the team for Argentina, was 43rd in 3:2:34.

In the women’s race world champion Morgan was seventh in 3:58:54 with Sara Willhoit (Shrewsbury) 11th in 4:01:49 and Kirsteen Welch (Norman Wilson; Sidmouth) 32nd 4:33:32 – both making their debut for the British team. That combined to help the British women’s team place fifth overall.