The final day of the European Youth Orienteering Championships took place today with the sprint event in Jaroslaw, Poland.

The area initially appeared to be relatively simple but was complicated with temporary barriers that provided more interesting route choices but caught many athletes out. The weather was cooler and suited better the team from Great Britain but a heavy downpour, shortly after the first start times made conditions slippery underfoot for much of the competition, although there were periods when the ground dried up quickly.

By the end of the competition, Great Britain had two athletes on the podium, with Grace Molloy achieving 4th in W16 and Alastair Thomas achieving 5th in M16. The prize-giving ceremony was held in the main square of the city with a grand stage and plenty of atmosphere. The British team gave their two superstars rousing cheers and applause as they celebrated with them.

After coming down from the stage, Grace said "It was exciting to be on the podium. I am very happy that I managed a good run. When I was out there, I didn't realise that I was that high up, but I knew it was quick and I didn't lose much time. I made sure I knew where I was and where I was going".

Alastair was beaming as he came down from the podium and said, "That was a good feeling! I didn't expect to get as good a result as this, in this event, but I knew I was running fast and so suspected that I could be up there. Physically, I felt good but there is room for improvement with my technique. I spoke to my coach, Lewis Taylor, and he told me to have confidence and just go for it. I was last starter but I handled quarantine well and am very happy with how it went."

Head Coach for Talent, Paul Murgatroyd, worked with the team at this event and said, “This was one of the toughest EYOC’s I’ve experienced in my time with the squad. The two forest events were incredibly physical and technical throughout, and that, combined with the extreme temperatures, made for a truly challenging weekend. What was so pleasing, though, was seeing some of the best GB juniors work so hard and make such impressive improvements throughout the competition, culminating in two outstanding results in the sprint today! The squad’s dedication and work ethic bodes well for the future.”

Photo credit - Lisa Boileau