Athletics Felix thrilled to finally win South West Championships

N-FORM Felix McGrath extended his winning spell with his first victory in the South West Cross Country Championships.

- Kevin FAHEY

By his own admission, McGrath had been runner-up in this event more times than he cared to remember but he lined up in high spirits, not just because of successive wins in the Avon Championships and the Clevedon Boxing Day 4, but also the fact that Bristol & West AC club-mate and four-time consecutive winner Jack Millar was absent.

Whether Millar could have denied McGrath in this form we will never know, as he was clearly in determined mood setting the pace from the gun and challenging his rivals to follow him.

Only Wiltshire runner Harry Smith accepted that challenge to make sure McGrath's win was far from clear-cut.

"I always knew he wasn’t that far behind me and I just worked hard to maintain that gap and stop him from getting on my shoulder," said McGrath.