Five of Chiltern Harriers talented young athletes were selected to represent the Buckinghamshire Schools team at this Inter County Schools meeting following the previous weekend's County Championships. Strong county teams from Kent, Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex were taking part in a high standard competition held in lovely sunny conditions, although a touch windy, at this excellent venue. This was a final chance for the U15 and U17 athletes to achieve qualifying times, distances etc. before final selection for the County Team to compete at the English Schools Championships on 7/8 July in Gateshead. With the County limited to 35 individual places overall and with 35+ already qualified selection would be tight.
U15 Clarice Underwood easily won the 100m, once again equalling the English Schools qualifying time of 12.8secs despite a strong headwind. She also anchored the 4x100m relay to 3rd place in a close run race. Clarice will be competing at the English Schools Champs and hopes to improve on last year's performance when she finished 8th in the 100m final as a first year in the age group.
Nick Lingley (U15) took part in the main 800m race with County champion Zac Randall. This turned into a tactical battle with two of the country's top runners and all four racing down the finishing straight. Nick finished 4th in 2.07.7 just 5 metres behind the winner from Kent. Following his excellent 1500m run at a Watford Open meeting last Wednesday night when he clocked 4.21.43, inside the School's qualifying time, Nick opted to run that distance instead of the 800m, for which he is also qualified, and has been selected for the County team at the English Schools.
A really entertaining U15 Boy's 1500m race involving three Bucks athletes as well as the bronze medallist at the recent South of England Champs saw Alex Shelley go agonisingly close to the Schools qualifying time. Going through the bell a couple of metres separated the first three including the Hampshire champion, Sam Winters runner-up at the Bucks champs and Alex Shelley and they were moving quickly away from the rest of the field. They continued to battle right to the finishing line within one second of each other but with Alex squeezed out to third. Bad news came when the times were announced as the first two just ran inside the 4.22 qualifying time with Alex clocking a new Pb of 4.22.3. However, a determined effort in an 800m race at the same Watford Open meeting as training partner Nick Lingley last Wednesday night saw him clock 2.07.3, inside the School's qualifying time. His reward was a place in the County team at 800m at the English Schools Champs.
First year Bex Myers is having a fine season and this continued on Saturday. Despite being pitted against very good athletes in the 1500m Bex went with the leading three runners through the first lap in 72 secs, much faster than ever before. Undaunted she held her position in the leading group until the start of the last lap when the heat and the fast pace started to tell. Nonetheless while the eventual winner went on to record the fastest time by an U15 girl so far this summer Bex fought on to finish 4th in a new Pb by 4 secs of 4.56.5. This time is 4 secs short of the Schools qualifying time and although her 800m time of 2.20.72 is only 7 tenths of a second shy of the time she has just missed out on selection. Athletics in Buckinghamshire is growing stronger all the time.
Michael Belcher, a first year in the U17 (Inter Boys) age group ran for the County in the 1500m. A hardworking run saw him finish 9th but he was pleased to find out that his time was a new Pb 4.24.7
Gary Howells
Coach/ Team Manager
Chiltern Harriers AC