The triathlete returns to action after being out for more than half a year with a stress fracture, while Eleanor Curran takes the biggest win of her career so far.
Hugo Milner’s long-awaited return from injury couldn’t have gone better after dominating the senior men’s race at the London Cross Challenge (February 7).
The Briton, who is predominantly a triathlete but also has track, road and cross-country pedigree, led from the front on Parliament Hill and, in muddy conditions, never looked back.
He clocked 32:16 over 10km and won by 23 seconds from Richard Slade, with James Kingston third in 32:45.
This was Milner’s first race since finishing 33rd at the 2025 Triathlon World Championship Series meeting in Hamburg on July 12, before suffering a stress fracture, an injury that ruled him out for the rest of the year.
Milner had intended to mark his return at the European Cross Country Championships, the World Cross Country Championships or the Valencia 10km, but the date was pushed back, making the London Cross Challenge the optimal event on the calendar.
“That felt amazing,” he told AW. “I led from the start and it felt great to be back in a racing environment. It was my first race in seven months because I had a stress fracture that held me back for a long time.
“It’s really nice to be healthy and fit again. It’s been two years since I ran on Parliament Hill and now it’s about getting back into the routine. I’ve never had a bone injury before so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
“I went through all the emotions of ‘am I going to get back to the same level?’ and ‘is something going to change?’ At times it almost seemed like it could be. “I never lost motivation and I want to put all that anger and frustration into these performances.”
Milner’s next event is the Armagh International 5km on February 12, followed by the English National Cross Country Championships in Sedgefield on February 21.
Eleanor Curran achieved one of her biggest ever victories with an 11-second victory in the senior women’s race on Parliament Hill.
In a strong field that included the likes of Scout Adkin and Amelia Quirk, Curran came out on top, clocking 29:50 over 8km. Adkin came second in 30:01 and Niamh Brown third in 30:08.
“It was very unexpected,” he told AW. “When I saw the lineups I thought a top-five position would be the best result for me today. When I was in front I thought, ‘What was I doing here?!'” I am shocked and very proud of myself. “I’m not very good on muddy fields and I had to keep going.”
Curran, who has a full-time job, is part of Leeds City AC and recovered from a calf strain in December. Now his goal is to have a good performance at the English National Cross Country Championships.
The two under-20 wins went to Jack Marwood and Emma Stewart, who recorded respective marks of 26:43 (8 km) and 23:58 (6 km). Darragh Whelan was the fastest under-17 male athlete and Freya Renton, aged just 15, was the fastest under-17 female athlete.
Renton, incredibly, was also faster than any of the women under 20. Beating both competitors, she was almost a minute better than her under-17 competitors and had 25 seconds to spare on the under-20s.
The Irish teen spoke to AW afterwards and stated that she was inspired by both Faith Kipyegon and Ciara Mageean. The Westport athlete said she “started running as soon as she could walk” and, reflecting on the race, added that she “started pulling away on the second lap and never looked back.”
Under-15 wins went to Elliott Langley-Aybar and Summer Smith. Madison Kindler and Joshua Maiden starred in the under-13 category, while Blossom Smith and Cartyr Jenkin took the plaudits in the under-11 category.
Full results here.
