Class acts hoping to make the grade
The English Schools Track & Field Championships start tomorrow (Friday). Kristian Samwell-Nash is among the Kent athletes in Birmingham for the two-day event. He’s been called up to the under-15 team after his 300m run at the Kent Schools Championship, where he recorded a personal best of 36.41sec – the third fastest time in the UK this year. Samwell-Nash, who only took up running a month before his Kent success, will be seeded at the nationals and could also feature in the 100m relay. Staff and students at The Lenham School, where Samwell-Nash is a Year 9 pupil, say they will be rooting for him in Birmingham. Simon Coppard, who’s just finished his GCSEs at Maidstone Grammar School, is in 800m action following his county success. Coppard, who runs for Tonbridge AC, took up the sport 18 months ago. He said: “I used to play cricket and football, getting trials at Crystal Palace and West Ham, but now I am driven to succeed in athletics.” Coppard’s dream is to race for England Schools in the Home Nations on July 16 – but he’ll need to finish in the top two in Birmingham. Thirteen Medway & Maidstone athletes are also in the Midlands. They are David Adeleye ( junior boys’ 100m), Isaac Milham (intermediate boys’ 400m hurdles), Jack Royden (IB shot put), Sonny Nash (senior boys’ javelin), Joe Thurgood (SB 110m hurdles), Elsie Christopher-Soares ( junior girls’ discus), Elle Wastell (intermediate girls’ 300m hurdles), Ashleigh West (IG high jump), Mayong Tabe (IG long jump), Jade Oni (IG long jump), Ellie Turner (senior girls’ 200m), Imogen Munday (SG 400m hurdles) and Zara Obamakinwa (JG discus).