Simon races his way to second national championship title

RUNNING sensation Simon Bordewich claimed his second national title at the England Athletics Indoor National Championships.

Following hard-won heats - the fastest by over a second - and a collision in the 400m under-17 final with another athlete, the 16-year-old dominated the race, held at Sheffield's English Institute of Sport.

"It was tough. I had had to run a second quicker than the other finalists to qualify. After the first 200m I had a collision with another athlete on the bend, meaning I was forced to overtake on the final straight," he said.

The teenager, who runs with Harrogate Harriers and previously held the English Schools national 300m title, will vie for the national 400m crown in the outdoor championships this summer.

His ambition is to compete for England: "In the outdoor season ahead I am aiming to medal at the English school championships and hopefully be selected to run for England at international championships," he said.

Injury prevented Simon, from Burton Leonard, from defending his national title last year, but he confirmed he was back on form when he won the northern indoor 400m title earlier this year.

The RGS Year 11 student, who first took up running as a youngster when he joined Ripon’s parkrun at Fountains Abbey, trains three times a week at the Leeds Beckett University athletics track and also plays rugby for school and Ripon Rugby Club.