St Teresa's duo hit right note to become country stars (From Bucks Free Press)

Star pupils surge to national titles

2:10pm Wednesday 6th March 2013 in Sport By Alan Feldberg

TWO pupils from St Teresa’s School in Princes Risborough are celebrating this week after becoming national cross country champions at the weekend.

Olivia Lowrie and Olly Cay both won gold at the Independent School Association’s National Cross Country finals in Rugby, but they weren’t the only winners on a Super Saturday for the school.

Ten of their 139 pupils formed the backbone of London North’s 20-strong team, and they didn’t disappoint as they led their region to victory in both the boys and girls U12 categories.

Apart from Lowrie and Cay, Kitty Conroy (fifth), Lucy Rose (ninth), Lily Good (26th), Alana Lavery (53rd), Hal Burtenshaw (fourth), Joe Hick (eighth), Louis Summons (18th) and Sam Welsh (24th) also had days to remember.

The top honours went to Lowrie and Cay though, both of whom won their 2km races by more than ten seconds.

Lowrie said: “I was really excited. Last year I came 30th so I wasn’t expecting to win. Normally I like someone to be in front of me but this time I led from the front.

“My mum and dad were watching and they took me to a restaurant for a treat afterwards.”

Cay had even more support, with his parents, grandparents, two brothers and a dog dotted around the course to cheer him on.

He said: “I was sixth at the first corner but overtook everyone going up the hill.”

And Cay admits that he has been working on that endurance during the winter.

He said: “I went out running in the snow at Chequers with my mum and did two 11km runs during half term as well.”

Thalia Milton, head teacher at St Teresa’s, said “It was a fantastic result and just goes to show that our small school might not have big facilities but can still give the children the opportunities and inspiration to compete and win at a high level. “This is a very exciting result due to hard work, dedication by the staff, children and parents.”

Lowrie and Cay, who also run for Wycombe Phoenix Harriers, will now turn their attention to athletics and both have set their sights on breaking the national 600m records this summer.

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