GEMMA Holloway said she was over the moon to win a silver medal at the English Cross-Country Championships.

The 18-year-old from Grays produced one of the best performances of her career over an energy-sapping course at Castle Donington to finish second in the under-20 women’s race.

Holloway only finished behind the silver medalist from the European Cross-Country Championships in France in December, Harriet Knowles-Jones.

“I stuck with her for one lap (out of two), but then just couldn’t hold on,” said Holloway.

“It was quite a challenging course but I think everyone found it tough.

“I’m just over the moon to win a silver medal.”

Holloway’s form is coming together at the right time after a frustrating pre-Christmas winter.

“I feel like I should have gone to the European Cross-Country Championships in December but I got ill just before the trial race and that took a while to shake off.

“As soon as I managed to do that, I started to run well again.”

Holloway was second on her debut for England in an international race in Spain in January, then won the Southern Championships before finishing second at the national.

She is now aiming for more success at the UK Intercounties Championships in Birmingham next weekend.

“I have got nothing to lose,” she said.

“Every race I do I try to get stuck in as much as possible.

“I have run the course in Birmingham so many times and I want to do the best I can. Every race I go to win, but if I can’t do that, I want to at least close the gap between me and Harriet (Knowles-Jones).”

Elsewhere at the national championships, Alex Finch finished 233rd in the senior men’s race – the highest position by any club member for more than 10 years.

Demi Eves, who earlier in the week had finished fourth in the Year 7 Essex Schools Cross Country Championship, had an outstanding day in the indoor event at Lea Valley.

She recorded PBs in the 60m, 200m and 600m in a track minithon. Her time of 1m 47s for 600m indicates a very fast 800m is due in the summer.

Returning to the midweek cross country race, two other performances caught the eye.

Harry Parker finished fifth in the Year 8 boys race earning an invitation to the inter county event later this month. Dhillon Harrod just missed out on this selection but finished in an excellent 16th place.