England Athletics U17/U15 Championships, Birmingham (Sat 26th/Sun 27th Aug.)
The club’s athletes had their best outing ever at the England Athletics U17/U15 Championships in Birmingham, writes Mick Bond. The event is actually open to all athletes from across the UK, plus there was a strong contingent from the Republic of Ireland making it as tough if not tougher than the English Schools Championships. Despite this our young athletes came away with two gold, three silver and two bronze medals.
In the U15B 80m hurdles there was a one two for the club with Hans Nmaju taking gold and Elijah Olaleye silver to confirm their places at the top of the UK rankings. Running over the same distance but with slightly lower hurdles Lily Gayle (U15) was delighted to take bronze.
Hans added a silver in the long jump leaping a legal 6.38m to eclipse Tobi Adeniyi’s club record. Daniel Obike took gold in the U15B high jump with 1.79m. Daniel is currently joint club record holder for the high jump with a best of 1.81m, but has one more chance to become sole holder at the inter-counties match on September 10th.
Michael Bridge set yet another PB in a high class shot competition, throwing 15.48m to take bronze.
Emily Cadman again showed her strength to take silver in the U15G 200m with a windy PB of 24.57s which was her 6th race of the weekend!
World Championships, Budapest (HUN)
Daryll Neita ran another club record as she raced to 5th place in 200m at the World Championships in Budapest, reports Mick Bond. In her first proper season running 200’s she has dropped her PB from 22.61s to 22.16s. Sub-22 and potentially a place on the podium at the Paris Olympics could be her next goal.
Tonbridge AC Bank Holiday Monday Open Meeting (Mon. 28th Aug.)
Bobby Babaker (pictured below - left) won the 3000m by fifteen seconds, reducing his personal best by nineteen seconds from 9:26.61s to 9:07.65s.
Oliver Cook (pictured above - right) who had run at the London Inter Club Challenge the previous day, recording an eight second PB for the 1500m of 4:44.81s, tackled his first mile race clocking a time of 5:00.73s. Official times were recorded at 1500m, with Oliver recording another PB of 4:43.4s.
In the 3000m race walk Mark Culshaw reduced his own M55 club record (subject to ratification) by twelve seconds with a time of 17:44.22s.
The Kent County Under 13’s Combined Events Championships were held in conjunction with Miya Cook tackling her first pentathlon, where she finished 6th with 1923 points, achieving personal bests in the 70m hurdles (13.16s), long jump (4.07m), high jump (1.30m) and 800m (2:56.78s).
(TAC Open photographs courtesy of Mark Hookway -TAC)