National titles for the younger age groups are the ultimate aim - and in the English Indoor Championships staged in Sheffield we were to claim three gold winning performances whilst also picking up silver and bronze. The shot putt proved to be most productive with Alastair Brown from the under 20 age group ,following up from his South of England success, with a best effort of 16.05 metres. From the under 17 year women Monica Malagala triumphed with a personnel best of 13.93m whilst Matilda Hewitt was to come up with a silver medal earning of 13.21m. The shot was also to provide a bronze medal performance with Olivia Mullineaux's effort of 10.83m just ahead of Shindara Ayo-Adeyemo`s 10.52m for fourth with Saya Saunders on 9.94m placing sixth. Also going to the top of the podium we saw Ruby Vinton taking the 1500 metre title for under 20 year olds with a time of 4m 39.24s. In the same age group Sophie Catchpole came close to the medals placing fourth in the 60 metre hurdles event with 8.83s after her heats win of 8.77s and the same time in the semi-final - second spot. Also over the hurdles Harry Lee (under 17) did make the podium for after a heat win of 8.14s, a semi of 8.22s (2nd) he was to run a personnel best of 8.06s for second place and a coveted national medal.
In the under 17 age group Amelie Scott came up with a personnel best in the heats of the hurdles with 8.70s and placing second could not replicate this in the semi-final or final. Amelie was to finish place fourth in the long jump whilst also contesting the triple jump.
At the prestigious `Keely Klassic` in Birmingham originally set up for a record attempt by Keely Hodgkinson CAC were to make two club records with their under 17 year men and women achieving this in 4 x 200m relay races. In the men`s race won by Milton Keynes Chelmsford less than a second down with 1m 33.93s took second place. One has to go back to 2019 to find times superior to this. Our team here consisted of Harry Lee, Daniel Brown, Nathan Moses & Clark Junior Viernes In the women's race won by Rugby we were to finish third in 1m 45.90s our team Ajicja Yalaju, Stephanie Smith, Lilly Hartman & Bella Johnson. Well done all at the big meeting. In an individual 800 Jorjia March ran 2m 09.03s for third place.
Report written by Roy Meadowcroft.
