Hay represented his club at the European Champion Clubs Cup Cross Country in February 2011 and placed 28th for the team. He claimed his first senior national title at the England Cross Country Championships two weeks later. This preceded his best outing yet at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he placed 39th in the junior section. At the national junior trials he won both the 1500 m and 5000 metres. He was selected for the latter event at the 2011 European Athletics Junior Championships and took the bronze medal in a close finish. After winning the British junior trial event, he went on to place eighth at the 2011 European Cross Country Championships, helping Britain to the team junior gold medals alongside individual medallist Richard Goodman.