Watford runner Eleanor Hunt was part of a gold medal winning team at the recent Southern Road Relays in Aldershot.

The 16-year-old athlete, competing for Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, put in a tremendous performance in the Under-17 women’s event, which consisted of three legs around an undulating 3k course.

After a strong run from team mate Natalie Connor on the opening leg, Hunt started the second leg in sixth place but managed to move up impressively through the field into second position and was still closing on the leading runner as they came into the finish.

Her time of 10.51 was the fastest of all second leg runners and put the final team member, Sophia Parvizi-Wayne, into the perfect position to be able to take the lead, with the team ultimately winning with nine seconds to spare over Tonbridge AC.

Hunt, who lives in Leavesden and trains both at Woodside and in St Albans with local coach George Harrison, hopes that this will be just the start of a successful winter season of road and cross country competition.