STROUD & District AC U17 girls cross country team, coached by Chris Brown, entered South West Counties indoor track and field championships.

This was a welcome break from the cold, mud and hills, to take on the best sprinters in the south west Counties.

English Schools 800m finalist, 15-year-old Annie Testar, was Stroud’s star performer, demonstrating her ability over range of distances by winning the 200m title.

After a slow start, compared with the dynamic sprinter, Annie picked the pace up to come away with the victory.

She returned later in the day for the longer 300m sprint.

Again after a slow start she caught the leader at 200m and off the last bend accelerated well clear to win by more than a second, and collect her second regional title and gold medal.

Annie’s teammates Amy Clark, who is the South West counties outdoors 300m Bronze medallist, returned from injury ran well to finish 6th, and Indoor debutant Libby Dickenson was pleased with 7th.

Ruby Brook, who is just 12, also coached by Chris Brown, made her debut both at the 300m and on an indoor track, finishing agonisingly 4th just off the podium in the U15 girls.

Ruby’s performances showed potential for the future taking into account she had also raced on the cross country the day before.

She held her running form to the end, closing on the specialist sprinter.