Queen's Cross Country runners Alyshia Alkerton and Angus Skinner finished on the podium at the Athletics Canada Cross Country Championships last week in London, Ont.

In wintry conditions at Fanshawe Golf Course in London, Alkerton (Arts & Science), running in her first national senior championship race, earned the bronze medal in the Women's 10km race. With 500 metres to go, Alkerton was in a podium duel with Paige Breedon of Waterloo and was just outkicked in the last 100 metres for the silver medal.

Skinner (Education) was one of the top finishers in last year's U20 Men's race as an 18-year-old, and was expected to be in the medal hunt in this year's event. This year's U SPORTS Rookie of the Year, Yemane Mulugeta, claimed first with a strong mid- race surge, while Skinner came on strong over the last two km to claim the bronze. The Gaels' Peter Neill (Applied Science) also improved in the race to place seventh.

Both Skinner and Alkerton were also part of the gold medal-winning provincial teams while representing Ontario. Neill also won a bronze for the U20 British Columbia team.

Meanwhile, Daria Klufas (Arts & Science) placed 29th and helped her Toronto West club place second in the U20 women's race.

Alkerton, Skinner and Neill recently competed a the U SPORTS Cross Country Championships where Alkerton was an All-Canadian, while Skinner, Neill and Owen Danby (Arts & Science) were on the gold medal winning men's team.
 
Queen's Results
 
Senior Women
3 Alyshia Alkerton 36:45.5

Senior Men
54 Emmett Harrington 34:54.3

U20 Women
24 Charlotte Clinton 33:30.2
29 Daria Klufas 34:51.7

U20 Men
3 Angus Skinner 25:10.7
7 Peter Neill 25:31.8
28 Owen Danby 26:20.0
48 Jack Sacilotto 27:37.5
56 Mark Hogan 28:05.0
64 Ian McCosham 28:51.9
69 Cameron Bennett 29:18.3
71 Josh Aagaard 29:20.4