Axe Valley Academy athlete Innes Fitzgerald triumphed at the SIAB International Cross Country Championships on Saturday, March 26, and is now Inter girls champion of Great Britain.

Her school has been following her development as a runner, and has provided this insight into Innes’s background.

From a young age Innes has always had a love for sport, but during the isolation of the pandemic her desire and commitment to running were reinforced. After lockdown and running alone, she was eventually persuaded to participate in the Seaton parkrun. Though reluctant Innes performed very well and recorded a time that beat the record, and was also being taken notice on a national scale. She was overwhelmed by the interest, oblivious to the fact that she was developing into a very gifted athlete with a talent for running. In school she felt her hidden hobby lay under the radar. Yet it has always been evident to her teachers; the drive focus and commitment Innes gives all sports and academic work that makes her the inspirational student for others to aspire to.

Innes’s year of competitive running started with the East Devon Schools Cross Country Championships at Bicton College in November when she ran in the Inter girls section (U16) over a distance 4000m. She has gone on to run in five cross country championships, travelling the width of England. A humble person, once she is running her passion is clearly there for all to see - a steely eyed determination to lead from the front and be the best that she can. Not losing any of her four previous races Innes South West girls Inter No1 earned her right to be at the National School Cross Country Championships in March held at Hop Farm, Kent. After a long journey Innes and parents had finished their evening meal when she started to think about the race. Checking her kit she discovered that she had forgotten her running spikes - to anyone else it would have been a disaster. Social media to the rescue - more truthfully, ex-international GB athlete Jo Pavey who had the internet boiling for a couple of hours with athletes and athletic clubs offering their help, demonstrating the true power of the sporting community. Problem solved - Innes ran the next day in borrowed shoes and after recovering from a foot infection that had kept her off her feet for three days in the previous week.

She led the field for three quarters of the race but was eventually caught by Jess Bailey an established athlete with National form from Cumbria. The girl from East Devon had put in a momentous performance and was happy to admit that she had no more to offer but would be ready for her National debut the following week at Pembrey Park, Carmarthen Wales.

The scene set: Innes arrives at SIAB International Cross Country Championships running against the top runners from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Some of us were watching the live Instagram links to see Innes take the field by storm – Axe Valley Academy student Innes Fitzgerald not only won, she blew the rest of the field away. She recorded a time of 14.41secs for 4000m with her nearest rival 26 secs behind – she is Inter girls champion of Great Britain.

In pursuit of her passion for running she has reached out to the running community both locally and nationally and has recognised her need to seek guidance from Gavin and Jo Pavey. Innes said in her own humble way: “The possibilities from now seem endless, therefore I don’t have any specific plans but just to see what happens, let the enjoyment take me.”

We at the Axe Valley Academy have run out of words to describe what she has achieved – she is a fabulous person and athlete who we are so proud to have as a member of the Axe Valley community.