Cross country running for young athletes is alive and well.

That is if the Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships at Langley School near Loddon were anything to go by.

Over 400 young athletes did their best in what was a fine competition and saw some outstanding individual performances over a fairly flat parkland course.

It has to be said that the event was as much about participation as it was about top performances. There was a lot of very enthusiastic and hard fought competition too.

The senior boys 5.8km event saw Will Mahoney race ahead of Tom Greenacre on the last of the three laps with Will Simm finishing third. Ellie Taylor was a clear winner of the senior girls 3.9km race.

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

In the under 17 girls 3.9km race Grace Jermy built up an 11-second lead over Megan Gadsby by the finish. Jonathan Atkin had a duel with Joseph Smith in the under 17 boys race and gained a five second lead by the finish. The closest finish of the day came in the under 15 boys 4km race where Henry Jones just edged out Jaya Kandola on the line with both given the same time.

An outstanding performance came from Hattie Reynolds came in the under 15 2.8 km event. She ran from the front and managed a 20-second winning margin with Alice Daniels following her home.

In the under 13 age group Joe Machin had a comfortable winning lead and Esme Jones was a convincing winner of the girls race.

Norfolk's runners will next be in action at the Anglian Schools Championships at Northampton next week.

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

At stake there will be places in the county teams for the English Schools Cross Country Championships in Leeds in March.

Club athletes will also be in action in the Southern Championships on the challenging courses at Parliament Hill in London.

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodNorfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)