Shropshire athletes hit form as records tumble
Officials were reaching for the record books during a superb day of action in the Shropshire Athletic Association Track and Field Championships, writes Paul Sanderson.
More than 400 athletes took part in the event at Telford Stadium where 13 new championship-best performances and National Grade 1 displays were achieved.
Meeting organiser Richard Eastman was delighted with the quality of the performances on a day when the blustery weather conditions made life difficult for the athletes.
Shrewsbury High School’s Danielle Hales once again showed her class on the track with another eye-catching display.
Hales, who is ranked number one in the country in the under-15 girls’ 75m hurdles, clocked 11.30 seconds as she comfortably won her heat before taking the final in 11.4.
Her heat time was the fastest ever run in the championships, beating the previous best which was set by Katie Challenor in 1993.
Hales also won the long jump with a leap of 4.87 metres.
Telford Athletic Club’s Ellie Vernon threw a four-metre personal best in the under-17 women’s javelin on her way to a Grade 1 and a new championship best, eclipsing the record set by Sian Lax in 1995.
Bridgnorth AC’s Oliver Carvell, who was second in the English Schools 1500m championships at Gateshead last year, won the 800m and 1500m.
But it was the 800m where he set a new championship record of one minute 56.8 seconds, beating a time that was set way back in 1983.
His team-mate Josh Roura also bettered the previous best in the under-15 boys’ 300m, running 37.9 while Dan Galloway, another Bridgnorth athlete, improved the under-13 boys’ 1500m record that he set himself last year as he ran a six-second personal of 4.42.2.
Chloe Speake and Kitty Schooles-Pryce, from Shrewsbury AC, both ran 11.6 in the 70m hurdles – a National Grade 1 which equalled the under-13 girls’ 70m hurdles time set six years ago by their former team-mate Hollie Williamson.
Telford AC’s Tegan Stoddart also got her name in the record books as she matched the under-13 girls’ high jump best of 1.45m, which is also a National Grade 1.
Other championship-best performances were set in the masters age group where Rachel Coupe clocked 2.34.7 in the 800m and Pat Higgins struck twice with 8.34m in the shot and 14.02m in the discus.
The men also got in on the act as Telford AC’s Dave Garrott set a new triple jump record of 8.36m and Shrewsbury’s Stephen Buttler landed an impressive effort of 5.23m in the long jump.
Other Grade 1 performances came from Telford AC’s Francesca Garrott, who threw the under-20 women’s javlein 40.58m, while her team-mate Amy Bowen also ran a Grade 1 time in winning the senior women’s 100m in 12.2.
Anna Bates (Trafford AC) gained a Grade 1 in winning the senior women’s triple jump with a distance of 11.84m, and she also won the long jump.
Liam Rawlings, who had such a good cross country season has started the track season in fine style as he ran a massive Grade 1 personal best of 4.13.5, over seven seconds faster than ever before a time that should put him among some of the fastest in the country.
Niall Price, also from Bridgnorth and a member of the Wolverhampton and Bilston club, equalled his personal best of 11.1 (Grade 1) in winning the under 17 men’s 100m , and double up by taking the 200m.
Several athletes went home with multiple gold medals, including James Milburn, who lives near Craven Arms and competes for Kidderminster and Stourport.
He won four under-20 events, taking the gold in the 110m hurdles, triple jump, high jump and discus.
Patrick McBride (Shrewsbury AC) won the senior men’s 110m hurdles, shot and 400m hurdles, while Jake Akindutire (Thomas Adams School) triumphed in the under-17 men’s long jump, triple jump and 400m hurdles.
Telford AC’s Rory Bristoll won the under-13 boys’ javelin, shot and discus and there were golds for Hollie Williamson (Wrekin College) in the 100m hurdles, long jump and high jump.
Emily McBride (Shrewsbury AC) took the senior women’s 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles and high jump.
The Shropshire Schools Track and Field Championships will be held at the Telford Stadium on Saturday, June 10.
The event is open to any student from Year 8 and above in a Shropshire school or college. Entry forms have been sent to all schools in Shropshire and Telford.
The Shropshire Schools Championships, for Year 7 and Year 8 students, is on Saturday, July 1 at the Shrewsbury track.
Contact Shropshire Schools secretary Paul Sanderson at jpsanderson_tac@hotmail.com for further details.
