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Click on photos to enlarge - use browser back button to return Pictures by Steve Perkin |
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Click on photos to enlarge - use browser back button to return Pictures by Steve Perkin |
A squad of 22 Chiltern Harriers young athletes excelled at Drayton track in Banbury in Round 2 of this summer's National Young Athlete's League Southern Division 2 - West.
This time it was the youngest middle distance runners that caught the eye with a clean sweep of wins in the Under 13 age group.
In the morning Ellie Jones ran aggressively to be 800m A string winner in a grade 3 time of 2.40.5. Connie Lewis ran a more cautious early pace but kicked hard in the final straight to be an easy winner in the B string race in 2.50.1. In the boys 800m James McCarthy had a tough battle at the front but won the A string race in 2.33 with a yard or two to spare. Sam Butcher in his first true competitive track race was a strong winner in the B string event in 2.42.
In the afternoon the Under 13 girls 1200m saw Jessica Franks run maturely to outkick her Abingdon rival to win in a grade 3 time of 4.18.1 with Rosalind Firth winner of the B string race in 4.32.9. In the boys 1500m Joe Cochrane and Andrew Stenning were first and second over the line in 5.14 and 5.20 respectively to complete a convincing set of middle distance performances. This is all the more encouraging considering that Connie, Rosalind, James, Sam, Joe and Andrew are all first years and will competing again in this age group next year.
In the boys Under 15 1500m, Jack Dutton made a return to the track after an injury-induced break and ran cautiously after feeling the injury to be third in 5.07. George Gillingwater ran on strongly to win in 5.03, a new PB.
Elsewhere Sam Rogers completed the 400m flat and 400m hurdles double again in the Under 17 Men's events, Joel Williams anchored the 4 x 100m relay team of Sam Rogers, Zack Underwood and Joe Stevens to victory, and Allan Stewart won the Under 17 1500m and was a creditable close third in the 800m behind two very strong Radley AC athletes with a PB of 2.04. Dan Loach ran 800m, 1500m and helped the 4 x 400m team of Sam Rogers, Joe Stevens and Allan Stewart to victory.
Dominic Jansen ran bravely in his debut in the Under 15 boys sprints and Nick Brabbs and Alex Russell featured strongly in the Under 13 boys 100m. John Underwood again showed his range of skills with good performances in the 75m hurdles, long jump and the 4 x100 relay, helping Nick Brabbs, Sam Butcher and Alex Russell to second place.
Jess White won the Under 17 women's A string 100m and Sophie East and Georgie MacDonald had good outings in the Under 15 girls sprints. Hannah Shepard and Jessica Franks made their debuts in the YAL sprints in the Under 13 age group.
The next fixture is back at Abingdon on 22nd June with more young athletes pencilled in to make their debuts on the track.
Steve Perkin