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Click on photos to enlarge - use browser back button to return Pictures by Steve Perkin and Nick Dutton |
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Click on photos to enlarge - use browser back button to return Pictures by Steve Perkin and Nick Dutton |
The weekend saw the County Championships with most Chiltern Athletes competing in the Buckinghamshire AA Championships at Milton Keynes, which is our main report. Below is short report from Herts AA championships
At a warm and occasionally sunny Milton Keynes stadium, a superb turnout of over 50 athletes saw Chiltern Harriers achieve a magnificent medal haul of 39 consisting of 13 golds, 16 silver, and 10 bronze at the County Championships along with dozens of PBs and season's best performances. This compares to 22 medals at each of the last two championships.
Chiltern athlete of the day was probably Joel Williams who logged an impressive Under 17 gold double of 100m and 200m in 11.2 and 23.3 respectively. Other gold medallists were Matt Bennett (Senior men's 5000m in a new PB of 15.52), Alex Watson (Under 17 men's 1500m Steeplechase), Jack Dutton (Under 15 boys 800m in 2.10.7), Joe Cochrane (Under 13 boys 800m in 2.33.5), James McCarthy (Under 13 boys 1500m in 4.58.2), Connie Lewis (Under 13 girls 1500m in 5.11.6), Clarice Underwood running for Shaftesbury (Under 20 100m and 200m in 12.4 and 26.5), and a hat-trick for Robert Hughes of Under 13 100m, 200m, and 80m hurdles.
Clarice Underwood took silver in the Under 20 long jump. Under 17 silvers went to Joe Stevens in the Under 17 100m, Rob Smith in the 800m, and Zak Underwood in the pole vault. For the Under 15s, second place efforts came from Jack Dutton in the 400m, Jack Walker in the 800m, Michael Goddard in the 1500m, Chloe Allen in the 800m, Katie Royals in the 300m, and Hannah Barnetson in the javelin. Under 20 Joel Ramsbottom, running for Watford, won silver in the Under 20 100m and 200m. In the Under 13s, silver went to Joe Aherne in the 800m and long jump, and Rosalind Firth in the 1500m.
Bronzes went to Will Shepherd (Under 20 long jump), Zak Underwood (Under 17 long jump), Tom Brady (Under 15 200m), Jack Walker (Under 15 400m), Alex Johnson (Under 15 800m), Clarice Underwood (Under 20 triple jump), Sophie East (Under 17 100m and 200m), Hannah Barnetson (Under 15 shot and discus), and Claudia McInerney (Under 13 800m).
Best moment of the day for the club was a 1-2-3 in the Under 15 boys 800m, Jack Dutton winning the county title from Jack Walker and Alex Johnson.
There were many other excellent efforts and a huge number of PBs, with many athletes logging performances to register in the national rankings.
Another local athlete gaining his first championship experience was Year 6 boy Samuel Fulford, representing Ley Hill School in Chesham. He had a great day winning the Under 13 long jump, coming second in the javelin and third in the 800m.
Chiltern Harriers begin their National Young Athletes League campaign on Sunday at St Albans with much optimism.
There were two Chiltern young athletes in the Herts County Championships at Stevenage on Sunday. Hannah Morton was fifth in the Under 13 girls 800m in 2.49.0 and Ben Whitney, fifth in the Under 15 boys 800m in 2.19.5, both PBs.