Brentwood Ursuline School pupil Sara Luck is celebrating after being crowned the National Cross Country champion, for her age group, for the second successive year.

Sara, 12, from Brentwood, was competing in the schools junior event at the National Finals in Wakefield, North Yorkshire.

After the Intermediate girls race, in which the Ursuline team finished 21st, the juniors took to the start line, with sleet falling, and the course was now badly cut up with the steep hills almost impossible to run up.

Sara led the field from the start and never looked like being caught by the second runner.

She crossed the finishing line 30 metres ahead of the rest of the field, and this is the second successive year that she has been crowned national champion.

Sara added the title of national champion to the 75 metres hurdles county championship, which she won in the summer.

The team finished in second place, and Brentwood Ursuline PE teacher, Sarah Ball, said: ''We are delighted at all the girls achievements, and Sara Luck is showing the sort of form that could see her go to the very top in athletics''.

Top girl . . Brentwood Ursuline's Sara Luck, who became the National Cross Country Champion, for her age group, for the second successive year

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