TEAM Southampton's Rebecca Gough triumphed in one of the day's most dramatic finishes at third meeting of the Reebok Cross Challenge Series at London's Parliament Hill.
Amazingly, the lead changed hands three times in the final 100 metres of the girls' under-15 race and it was Gough who sensationally powered through from third to first to snatch victory with just a second to spare over Charlotte Purdue of the Aldershot, Farnham & District club.
"I knew I had a fast finish. I've been working on it in training," said Gough, who doubles up as the Hampshire Schools' junior girls' and Hampshire County under-15 girls' 800m and 1,500m champion.
Team Southampton's older runners had mixed fortunes in the UK European Championship trials which accompanied the Reebok event.
John Beattie was the club's first under-20 man home in 24th place, ahead of Tommy Davies in 59th. Beattie still has another year left in the under-20 category.
Great Britain international Angus Maclean was 57th in the senior men's race, just in front of Gareth Klepacz, in 60th. For the senior women, Heather Buckingham placed 58th.
The next meeting takes the athletes to Sefton Park, Liverpool on December 4.
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