Triathlete back in action after being out for over half a year with a stress fracture, while Eleanor Curran secures the biggest win of her career so far.
Hugo Milner’s long-awaited comeback from injury couldn’t have gone any better after he dominated the men’s senior race at the London Cross Challenge (February 7).
The Brit, who is predominately a triathlete but also has pedigree on the track, roads and over cross-country, led from the front at Parliament Hill and, in muddy conditions, never looked back.
He clocked 32:16 over 10km and won by 23 seconds to Richard Slade, with James Kingston third in 32:45.
This was Milner’s first race since finishing 33rd at the 2025 World Triathlon Championship Series meeting in Hamburg on July 12, before he sustained 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, World Cross Country Championships or Valencia 10km, but the date got pushed back, making the London Cross Challenge the optimal event in the calendar.
“That felt incredible,” he told AW. “I led from the start and it felt really nice to be in a race environment again. It was my first race in seven months because I had a stress fracture that held me back a long time.
“It’s so nice to be back healthy and fit. It’s been two years since I raced at Parliament Hill and it’s about getting back into a routine now. I’ve never really had a bone injury before so I wasn’t really sure what to expect.
“I went through all the emotions of ‘am I going to come back to the same level?’ and ‘is anything going to change?’ It almost felt like at times that it could be it. I never lost motivation though 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 produced one of her biggest ever wins with an 11-second victory in the senior women’s race at Parliament Hill.
In a strong field that included the likes of Scout Adkin and Amelia Quirk, Curran came out on top and clocked 29:50 over 8km. Adkin came second in 30:01 and Niamh Brown was third with 30:08.
“It was very unexpected,” she told AW. “When I saw the line-ups I thought that a top five position would be the best outcome for me today. When I was at the front I was like ‘what was I doing here?!’ I’m just in shock and I’m really proud of myself. I’m not great on muddy courses and I just had to keep going.”
Curran, who has a full-time job, is part of Leeds City AC and recovered from a strained calf in December. She is now aiming to run well at the English National Cross Country Championships.
The two under-20 victories went to Jack Marwood and Emma Stewart, who recorded respective marks of 26:43 (8km) and 23:58 (6km). Darragh Whelan was the fastest men’s under-17 athlete and Freya Renton, at the age of just 15, was the quickest women’s under-17 athlete.
Renton, incredibly, was also faster than any of the women’s under-20s. Blowing away both fields, she was almost a minute better than her under-17 competitors and had 25 seconds to spare on the under-20s.
The Irish teenager spoke to AW afterwards and stated that she was inspired by both Faith Kipyegon and Ciara Mageean. The Westport-based athlete said she “started running as soon as she could walk” and, reflecting on the race, added she “started pulling away on the second lap and never looked back”.
The under-15 victories went to Elliott Langley-Aybar and Summer Smith. Madison Kindler and Joshua Maiden starred at the under-13 level, while Blossom Smith and Cartyr Jenkin took the plaudits in the under-11 category.
Full results here.
