A brilliant run from Stephen Ferroni saw him join an elite band of Sussex runners who have won a medal in the South of Thames Senior Cross-country championship at Tonbridge on Saturday.
The eighteen year old Brighton & Hove runner is certainly the youngest Sussex runner to get amongst the medals in this classy 7.5-mile race and he took several valuable scalps as he closed on the 25 year old winner John Gilbert (Kent), who has strung together some most impressive runs over the past twelve months.
Ferroni finished just ten seconds adrift in 42.39 and 19 seconds clear of his u20 rival Max Nichols (Tonbridge) who finished third.
The Brighton & Hove team, who had hoped to challenge for team medals collapsed at the last minute with three of their top scorers, including team manager Howard Bristow crying off with niggles.
They did however finish a creditable fifth in the team event with Andrew Donno having a fine run to finish 17th, James Turner 33rd, Martin Brooks 48th, Louis Taub 49th and Graham Godden 59th completing the scoring six.
The Brighton & Hove “B” team finished 11th in the team event and in the 12 aside team competition they did picked up bronze medals.
In the women’s event Brighton & Hove just missed team medals finishing in fourth spot with Cathy Ulliott W50 leading them home in 22nd place and Jeanette Kenneally 34th, Judith Carder 40th, Helen Fitzgerald 45, Camilla Moyle 48th and Manjuna Moon 49th completing the scoring six.