Joel Williams in the Inter Boys 100m |
Jack Dutton in the Junior Boys 800m |
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Clarice Underwood in the Senior Girls 100m |
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Click on photos to enlarge - use browser back button to return Pictures by Gary Mitchell | ||
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Joel Williams in the Inter Boys 100m |
Jack Dutton in the Junior Boys 800m |
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Clarice Underwood in the Senior Girls 100m |
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Click on photos to enlarge - use browser back button to return Pictures by Gary Mitchell | ||
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As ever this year's English Schools Championships were excellently organised with the best young athletes in the country producing great performances in good weather conditions. With the precision timing of events this mini "Olympics" is both a spectacle and a somewhat daunting event for young inexperienced athletes competing in front of a very large number of spectators. Dame Kelly Holmes was a special guest on both days of the championships and Peter Elliott was Guest of Honour on the Saturday and gave a speech to the massed ranks of County Teams following the parade. Sky Sports showed the Saturday afternoon events live on television.
Chiltern Harriers had 5 athletes representing their County Schools teams at these championships and two of the sprinters, Clarice Underwood (Chesham High) and Joel Williams (Amersham School) won medals in the 100m.
By her own high standards Clarice Underwood hasn't yet performed at the level she would expect this season. Going into the championships she was second favourite behind long time rival Lauretta Curtis from Derbyshire in the Senior Girls 100m. They were drawn to meet in the heats in which Curtis came out on top and then the athlete from Derbyshire produced an inspired performance to beat Clarice in the final. This added a silver medal to Clarice's collection of two individual gold medals and a bronze plus relay medals over the last 4 years at these championships.
Training partner Joel Williams competed in the Intermediate Boys 100m and produced a great series of runs. In the heats he comfortably qualified in 2nd place equalling his personal best time 11secs dead and followed this with 2nd place in his semi-final behind the eventual champion in 11.13secs. However, he saved his best run for the final even though his time 11.1secs wasn't a Pb. Keeping his form right through the line in a blanket finish for third place Joel edged through to take bronze.
Another training partner Joel Ramsbottom (Misbourne School) competing in these championships for the first time was pleased with his performances. In the heats of the Senior Boys 100m he finished 4th to qualify for the semi-finals as a fastest loser in a new personal best time of 11.02secs. In a tough semi-final he finished 7th in a time of 11.11secs but gained much from the experience.
The two younger athletes Michael Goddard (St Clement Danes) and Jack Dutton (Chesham High) were also making their debuts at these championships and were primarily looking to gain experience from this prestigious event.
The Junior Boys 1500m competition had two heats. Unfortunately, with the leading 5 runners in the UK all in the first heat the first 3 and all the fastest losers were to come from this heat. This meant that Michael Goddard, the only first year with a qualifying time for the event, was drawn in what turned out to be a slow bunched heat. Good experience but Michael was only able to finish 7th in a race that turned into a mad rush over the final 200m.
Jack Dutton was competing in the Junior Boys 800m which had 3 heats from each of which the first two plus two fastest losers would make the final eight, tough qualifying. Jack gave himself every chance of making the final by running a good first lap and putting himself in leading position going through the bell. He was still leading going into the last 150m when overtaken and impeded enough to lose momentum and despite his best efforts to get back into his running could only come home in 6th place. Even so, his time of 2mins 7.15secs was just half a second outside his personal best.