Cerys and Charlotte are record breakers
New county bests for CoP AC throwers
The Hampshire county Athletics Championship took place at Portsmouth’s Mountbatten Centre over the bank holiday weekend.
This event normally takes place, along with the other counties, in early May’ this year, though, every county did their own thing, squeezing the events in where possible, writes PAUL FARRES.
The Championships were without doubt reduced in size by the strange times the sport of athletics has had to endure this year.
However, this did not totally distract from the
performances - especially in the junior events.
The City of Portsmouth AC picked up just over 50 medals during the Championships with a number of stand-out performances.
Cerys Thomas built on her silver at the Welsh Championships to win gold in the senior women’s hammer - setting a new championship best performance with a throw of 51.43m.
This feat was repeated at the other end of the age scale with Charlotte Pabari also smashing the Championship best performance in the Under 13 Javelin (37.62m). Even more remarkably, Pabari will contest the same event next year.
Jack Holt had a busy weekend, winning the javelin, shot and discus events in the under 15 boys age group.
Fola Odofin completed the sprint double in the Under-15 girls age group with times of 12.5 and 26.1 in the 100m and 200m respectively.
Other gold medallists included Jacob Nelson, Callum Crook, Eniayo Odofin, Sam Kershaw, Matthew Galbraith and Callum Taylor in the under 20 men's section.
Ella Hutton, Maddie Bond, Sadie Blake, Edee Abery and both Holly and Daisy Wilkinson took gold in their respective events in the women’s section.
Perhaps the most emotional win of the day went to senior woman
Corin Bearpark in the 800m - her title-winning performance was dedicated to her long term coach, and stalwart of Hampshire athletics, Mike Williams who passed away just a few days prior to the Championships.
He will be a great loss to the sport of athletics.
■ There were also four gold medal winning performances from Havant AC athletes - Alex Fitzpatrick (hammer), Frankie Witty (100m hurdles), Leon Chappell (300m) and Amber Faull (100m hurdles). Havant AC medallists Alex Fitzpatrick (gold, Senior men, hammer, 34.31m) Joseph Wiggins (silver, under-20 men, 800m, 2:19.7)
Campbell Laird (silver, under-20 men, 1,500m, 4.09.7)
Frankie Witty (gold, U17 men, 100m hurdles, 14.5)
Leon Chappell (gold, U15 boys, 300m, 39.8)
Oliver Priston (bronze, U15 boys, discus, 21.28)
Bethany Sherrell (bronze, senior women, 3000m, 12.41.7)
Amber Faull (gold, U20 women, 800m, 2.25.1
Eden Canning (silver, U20 women, 100m hurdles, 17.6)
Eden Canning (bronze, U20 women, 400m hurdle, 75.8)