Congratulations to Y12 Katie Snowden, who won the London Youth Games on Saturday 20 November, having won the Mayor’s Mile at the Lord Mayor’s Show the previous Saturday! Below is a press release:

Snowden took the girls’ under 17 race as cross country made a successful return to the competition programme for Europe’s largest annual youth sports event with over 700 youngsters from 29 London boroughs competing on the iconic Parliament Hill course.

After her victory, Katie Snowden said: “I was really pleased to win today. It was quite challenging but I really enjoyed it. I think on the third lap I knew I had one last hill to get through and it was downhill from there, so I pushed on and pulled it off. I came here to finish in the top three, so to actually win has exceeded my expectations. I really enjoy running for Southwark.”

Russell Findlay, Chief Executive, London Youth Games said: “We were really excited to be starting our season with cross country. The Balfour Beatty London Youth Games is the catalyst of year-round competitive sporting activity for tens of thousands of young people in London.

“As we get closer to London 2012, the big response from the London boroughs to the re-introduction of cross country demonstrates the hunger for competitive sport among young people and the need to provide a focus for their energies.

“Even for those who do not quite make their borough teams, the London Youth Games is something to train towards, a goal that they otherwise might not have. That is true for cross country, the indoor cricket competition which begins in January and the other 28 sports the London Youth Games hosts as the season unfolds.”

The Chairman of the Hampstead Heath Management Committee Michael Welbank said: "We were delighted to welcome the London Youth Games Cross Country competition to Hampstead Heath this weekend. Hampstead Heath is traditionally regarded as the home of British Cross Country running and I would like to congratulate the organisers and Hampstead Heath staff who made sure this event was a huge success."

RESULTS
Full cross country results: http://www.londonyouthgames.org/sport.asp?section=102§ionTitle=Athletics
Current 2011 Jubilee Trophy standings: http://www.londonyouthgames.org/comp_standing.asp

About Balfour Beatty London Youth Games (BBLYG)
BBLYG are unique because they involve all 33 London Boroughs and 26 National Governing Bodies (NGBs)
The Balfour Beatty London Youth Games are open to all Londoners aged 7-18
Balfour Beatty are the title sponsor of the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games until 2013
Partners include Sport England, London Councils, Thames Water, Mayor of London
Sport England invests National Lottery and Exchequer funding in organisations and projects that will grow and sustain participation in grassroots sport and create opportunities for people to excel at their chosen sport. For more information, see www.sportengland.org
London Councils is committed to fighting for more resources for London and getting the best possible deal for London's 33 councils. London Councils has a website about its grants service. To read about our grants funding and the work of some of the 300 groups we support please visit www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/grants