Brighton schoolboy runs for England

Brighton schoolboy Stephen Ferroni is hoping to build on his England cross-country debut last month with a good performance at the London Marathon on Sunday (13 April).

Stephen, 16, started running competitively when he was at Coombe Road Primary School and joined Brighton and Hove City Athletics Club shortly afterwards.

He is now a Year 11 student at the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA), near his home in Moulsecoomb.

At the National Cross-Country Championship he finished fifth – behind four Year 12 students.

And in the Brighton and Hove City 10K earlier in the season he finished in 32 minutes 17 seconds. He was the first under 20 to finish even though he had only just turned 16.

His dedication involves training six days a week not just throughout the winter months.

For many runners the London Marathon may come at the end of the cross-country season but it’s just the start of the track season.