ATHLETICS: ELLESMERE Port athlete Craig France has proved unbeatable at all the major British championships this year - and every other race for that matter.
He capped a remarkable season in his U17 age group by winning the 100 metres title at the Scottish Championships at Grangemouth last weekend, battling against a headwind to clock 13.4 seconds.
The Whitby High School hurdler, a former member of West Cheshire AC now at Liverpool Harriers, is out on his own as the number one at the event for under 17s in the UK.
Craig's success this year started indoors with the Scottish and Northern titles and continued to the outdoor season with victories in the Cheshire county and schools, the Northern, English schools and AAA championships, as well as victories at the Celtic Games and Schools Home International.
This achievement is all the more amazing for the fact he took up hurdling seriously only 18 months ago. He trains up to five times a week at The Oval in Bebington with coach Pat Spencer and occasionally at Stanney High School with his former club West Cheshire AC.
Craig has just two competitions left this year for Liverpool Harriers - this Sunday at Birmingham in the final of the Young Athletes League and the following Sunday at Derby, where he steps up to the 110 metres hurdles in the final of the National Junior League.
Next year he moves up to the 3ft 3ins hurdles and coach Spencer has no doubts about his ability to cope. 'He will be fine up to the U20 age group, but after that depends on his physical growth. We will have to wait and see,' she said.
