WHEN Sam Evans enjoyed victory in the latest Cheshire Cross Country Championships he took his gold-medal set from the event to six.

The 15-year-old Bridgewater High School student was 22 seconds clear of his nearest rival in winning the under 15s boys’ race at Birchwood Forest Park.

While it was his first prize at the event in the colours of Vale Royal Athletics Club, whom he joined six months ago, his collection includes gold medals from the five previous years of races too as a Warrington Athletics Club runner.

He first won a Cheshire Cross Country Championships title as a bottom-age under 11s athlete in 2012 and has not been beaten in the event since.

Evans, who lives in Appleton, won Saturday’s 4,500m race in 14mins 36secs, and backed up by teammates Edward Pettitt and William McKay he led the Vale trio to silver in the team event.

With Saturday’s victory he became the first athlete to retain the Brian Hall Memorial Shield, awarded to the under 15s boys’ race winner annually.

Evans also received the shield, in memory of the prominent international middle-distance athlete of the 1960s, upon winning as a bottom-age under 15s athlete last January.

Another Warrington athlete was among the prizes on Saturday after her recent switch to Vale Royal Athletics Club.

Rebecca Nixon was fourth across the line in the under 13s girls’ race, helping her team to take the gold medal.