Team Bath sprint crew in impressive form
Rookie Byron Mander was one of Team Bath AC’S top performers in the third Avon Track & Field League meeting of the season at Gloucester on Sunday, writes Kevin Fahey. The 12-year-old claimed an impressive double victory in the under-13 boys’ shot with a throw of 6.71m and then discus with a personal best of 17.20m. Byron wasn’t the only member of the talented Mander family to impress as older sister Caitlin also scored valuable points with a second in the U15 girls’ triple jump, her first ever competition at the event, with a solid mark of 9.10m and fourth place in the 75m hurdles in 13.1secs and high jump with 1.25m. Those points helped the club finish second overall to Yate & District AC and well ahead of other local rivals Bristol & West AC and North Somerset AC. Other double winners were in-form Jenna Blundell, who is enjoying a busy end to the season, in the senior women’s 100m in 12.9secs and her main event the 100m hurdles in 15.1secs. Femi Akimbobola scored maximum points with wins in the U17 men’s 100m in 11.5secs and 200m in 22.9, while Rory Howorth concentrated on the throws and won the U17 men’s shot with 12.73m and discus with 37.17m, both decent distances. Other winners were India Ibbotson in the U15 women’s 300m in 46.2secs, Jo Lumb in the veteran women’s 100m in 15.5 and Sarah Long in the senior women’s 400m in 61.2. Rebecca Pierce won the senior women’s 1,500m in 5mins 1.7 while Alex Knight raced to victory in the U13 boys’ 800m in 2:31.3 with Dylan Stoneman runner-up in 2:31.8. Stoneman also won the 80m hurdles in 14.31. In the long jump, there were comfortable wins for Kiran Carter in the U15 boys’ age group with a leap of 5.55m and Marcin Olech in the senior men’s event with a season’s best jump of 6.40. to move up to eighth in the South West U20 men’s rankings. Imam Qazi win the veteran men’s 100m in 12.8 and further in the sprints there were relay wins for the U13 boys’ in 60.5secs and the U17 men in 47.5secs. In addition, there were valuable second places for Lottie Silverton (U13 high jump, 1.25m), Josie Rucker (U15 girls’ 1,500m, 5:51.3), Gabriella Holt (hammer, 34.69m), Joe Carter (U15 100m, 11.8), Bailey Ellam (U15 800m, 2:21.9) and Alex Parsons (U17 800m, 2:09.3). Finally third place points were earned by Lottie Silverton (U13 1,200m, 4:16.1; javelin 16.12m), Nynka Rucker (U15 triple jump, 8.62m), Sophie Harrison (U15 javelin, 22.39m), India Ibbotson (U15 1,500m, 5:21.5), Louise Jeffries (veterans 100m, 17.4secs), Sarah Long (100m, Jo Lumb (veterans 1500m, 5:47.4), Alex Knight (U13 100m, 14.4) and discus (12.90m), Kiran Carter (U15 100m, 12.4), Chris Elmer (800m, 2:08.1) and Fraser Russell (long jump, 5.41m). Team Bath sprinter Ethan Hall finished fifth in the final of the 200m at the South of England Championships at Lee Valley, London, clocking a time of 23.12secs into a head-wind of 1.6m. In the 100m he was fifth in the semi finals with a time of 11.49secs into a headwind of 1.9m. At the Midland Championships in Nuneaton, Joel Mattacks ran 12.39secs in the U17 men’s 100m, just outside his personal best, and 66.5 in the 400m hurdles to finish fifth. His 100m time puts him tenth in the UKA T20 Rankings. Entries are open for the popular Marshfield Mudlark races on Sunday, October 7 (10am). Once again the main event will be the 11k race with the Marshfield Mudlite 4.5k for over-11s and the Marshfield Muddling 2.6k fun run for over-4s in support to ensure something for everyone. The event is organised by the Marshfield School PTA and Corsham Running Club, and the HQ will be Marshfield Cricket Club. Entry is available through the new website at marshfieldmudlark.co.uk. The Chronicle’s athletics coverage is sponsored by Running Bath, Bath’s specialist running shop. Find running Bath at 18 High Street, call 01225 462555 or visit runningbath.co.uk.