IAAF Cross De Atapuerca Permit XC Event

Rory Leonard (second left) with his trophy at Burgos in Spain on Sunday 11th November

In his first Under 20 International appearance, Morpeth Harrier Rory Leonard performed superbly to finish a very close second to Cardiff’s Jake Heyward in the IAAF Cross De Atapuerca Permit event in Burgos Spain on Sunday 11th November 2018.

It was the second time within a month that Leonard had finished second to the Welshman,
however on this occasion, he proved more than a match for his slightly more Senior rival,
only drifting in the later stages, to lose out by seven seconds at the finish line.

Leonard had every reason to be overjoyed however, when he learnt that he had led England to a handsome team victory, with further support coming from City of Stoke’s Connor Bentley (12th),
Cambridge and Coleridge’s Tom Keen (23rd), and Benjamin West of Milton Keynes (24th).

The 2018 Inter Counties Champion is next in competition when he heads for Liverpool,
and the UK Trials at the end of the month, for hopefully a good run to earn him a place
​in the GB European Team for the Championships in December in Tilburg in the Netherlands.