News

Monday, 17 February 2003

Hoban called into GB World Cross Country squad

Wakefield Harriers rising cross country star Aine Hoban has been picked for the Great Britain U20 team to run in the World Cross Country Championships in Switzerland next month writes Richard Byram.

It follows a superb run by the Yorkshire and North of England champion at the Inter Counties Cross Country event in Nottingham earlier this month when she took the silver medal in the U20 ladies event which was screened live by Sky Sports.

Hoban, 18, went into the race having seemingly been given little chance by either the commentators or GB selectors of making the Switzerland team and was delighted to have proved them all wrong.

After race favourite Charlotte Dale had kicked out in front, Hoban had the experts quickly rewriting their notes, as she made second place her own in the 6km race, holding on to finish just over a minute behind Dale, who is one of the favourites for the world crown.

The former St Thomas a Becket's student told Express Sport she would have been happy with a top ten finish and then aim to qualify for the GB team after the national championships in London this weekend.

"There is no way I expected the Nottingham result. Before the race I was hoping to finish in the top eight so that I could get in the British training squad and then do well in the nationals in London later this month and perhaps gain selection from there".

The talented runner is currently studying for a psychology degree at Nottingham University and while for most students there is only one 7.30 in the day the one when Coronation Street and EastEnders begin Hoban is sometimes up at the crack of dawn so that she can fit her training and studies in.

She has stuck with the sport at an age when most people tend to give it up or wind down their involvement at an age when other interests begin to take precedence.

"I have stuck with it but got a good balance in my life. Some people go the whole hog, but I have not. The social side of running is something I enjoy too, but I don't lead the perfect athlete's lifestyle. I treat it as a pastime rather than letting it run my life. I'll get up, run and go to lectures and then if I have got a second run to do, I will do it but then go out at night and enjoy myself."

After recovering from a serious bout of glandular fever in her early teens, Hoban's running career has continued on an upward curve ever since.

She started off by running for Wakefield Colleges and then West Yorkshire before joining the Harriers five years ago.

"The Harriers have been great for me, ever since I started running for them and they have brought me through the coaching system and given me great support, especially my first coach Ivan Spawforth and then Bill Dance."

"My mum and dad have always supported me wherever I have run and made sure I have been able to get to training and events, wherever they have been."

Having won the North of England title and an invitational race in Spain so far this time as well as second place in Nottingham, another top three finish could be on the cards in London at the weekend:

"Having been selected for Britain the pressure is now off in the Nationals so I can go there and enjoy myself and then get ready for Switzerland, which I cannot wait for."

This article was taken with permission from the Wakefield Express.