Small squad produce fine performances at Sussex u15 match

A small squad of just eight athletes produced some fine performances in the Sussex under-15 match at Horsham in spite of the sweltering conditions.
Athletes at the Midsummer 5. Picture by Emily RobinsonAthletes at the Midsummer 5. Picture by Emily Robinson
Athletes at the Midsummer 5. Picture by Emily Robinson

Once again, leading from the front was Ollie Beach who set a new personal best of 39m 13cm in the discus, lifting him to eighth on the UK rankings for 2018.

Now with guidance from ex GB international Mike Winch, Beach has already broken the 40m mark in a schools competition and will be looking to climb even further up the national rankings before the season finishes.

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Not content with this, Beach also broke the 11 metres barrier for the first time in the shot with 11.15m and equaled his PB in the 300m with 40.1sec.

There was a new sprint pairing of Nathan Ewins and Noah Campbell in the 100m with both boys showing good versatility in the field events with Ewins in the high jump and Campbell in the long jump.

Archie Sadler completed the boys quartet with a two metres clearance in the pole vault as well as a good showing in both the 800m and long jump.

There was a show of dominance from Olivia Toms in the 1,500m who attacked the race from the opening lap to cross the line a full 11 seconds clear of her nearest challenger in five minutes and four seconds, a fine time in the conditions.

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Nicole Boltwood was just outside 2.30 in the 800m while Millie Grant did well in long jump, shot and discus.

Cerys Dickinson had probably the most varied match of the eight athletes in scoring for the first time in the pole vault as well as competing over 300m on the track and shot putting in the field events.

West Sussex Fun Run League: A squad of 20 runners joined in with an amazingly large field of no less than 610 finishers in the Roundhill Romp near Steyning, the latest event in the West Sussex Fun Run League programme.

Having to run up to the top of the nearby South Downs Way obviously did not put off the long line of runners snaking their way up the arduous climb. For Chichester it was in-form Graham Timson who led the Chichester contingent home in 11th place in the league and 14th overall.

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He scored a maximum ten bonus points for the club as did Emma Hughes who has been on fine form recently and once again was first woman home in the entire field with only 50 men in front of her and an obvious ten bonus points.

Just below the maximum with nine points each were Jason Snow, Nadia Anderson and Amanda Godfrey. Runners have a three week rest in the league programme before tackling the Seven Stiles race at Henfield on Sunday July 29.

Chichester athletes gaining representative honours: In among the busy league programme, three of Chichester’s star performers this summer have been in representative action over the weekend.

Liam Dunne and Ned Potter were wearing Sussex county vests at Lee Valley in the South East inter counties under 17 match where Dunne once again broke his PB in the 800m with a time of 1min 58sec an ideal confidence booster before this weekend’s English schools championships at Birmingham this weekend where he competes for Hampshire schools over 1500 metres.

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Potter, meanwhile, was in action at Lee Valley in the 1,500m steeplechase and broke five minutes for the first time with a 4.55 clocking and placing him in the top 40 in the UK rankings for the year.

Meanwhile in the Midlands Andy Hall had the honour of representing the South of England in the national Masters Inter Area match. Throwing the 6k hammer in the over 50 category, Hall threw a new best ever distance of 42m 30cm for a fine runners-up spot in this national competition.

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