Young Harriers on right track
IT is increasingly apparent that 2018 is turning into an exciting year for the Stockport Harrier junior teams as they continue to dominate in the outdoor track and field season.
The UK Youth Development Under 17/Under 20 League returned recently at Bebington Oval, hosted by Wirall Athletics Club.
Led by coaches Joe and Mike Frost, Stockport continued their on their mission for success, with personal bests being achieved by an astonishing amount of the team.
The weather led for tough conditions due to the wind and Evie Wild was lucky to secure a win in the Under 17 Women’s High Jump ‘A’ competition in conditions where the bar could have been blown away at any minute.
Holly Aitchison followed suit and took first place in the ‘B’ competition, reaching 1.45.
Evie Wild also took fourth place in the Under 17 Women’s ‘B’ 200m with a season best of 29.0 and second in the Under 17 Women’s ‘B’ 300m with another season best of 45.2. Not happy to settle there, Evie also went on to run a blistering leg in the 4x300m relay.
After a tough start trying the Pole Vault for the first time today Megan Lasseter enjoyed a successful day with a winning jump of 5.11m in the Under 17 Women’s ‘A’ Long Jump, a 10.17m jump and another win in the ‘B’ Triple Jump and a strong run in the 4x100m relay.
Holly Aitchison won both her Under 17 Women’s ‘A’ Triple Jump and ‘B’ High Jump competitions as well as winning the ‘B’ race in her first ever 300m Hurdles in 48.5 and being part of the winning 4x300m relay squad who went on to set a Club Record.
Euan Benson threw a personal best in the Under 20 Men’s Hammer Throw with a distance of 23.02m. He also won the Under 20 Men’s Shot Put with a throw of 9.02m.
After a great start winning the Shot Put with a 12.47 throw in the Under 17 Women, Holly Benson threw in her debut Hammer Throw competition before winning in the Javelin and finding her form with a best of over 32m before running a fantastic leg of the 4x100m.
A slight altercation with a hurdle meant no fast time but still a win for Abigail Pawlett in the Under 17 Women’s Hurdles with 12.1 as she continues to make progress after a lengthy time out.
A great run in the Under 17 Women’s 100m with 12.4 earned her first place before another very strong second leg run in a recordbreaking 4x100m.
Showing off her versatility, Abigail also secured a solid win in the Under 17 Women’s Shot Put with a throw of 10.68m.
Emily Jarad had a busy day in her first league match as an Under 20, scoring good points in the 100m, 200m, Triple Jump and 4x100m relay to help the team take the Club record.
Mia Lowndes ran a season best time of 12.7 to win the Under 17 Women’s B race in the 100m and secured another win in the 80m Hurdles with 12.1.
She then went on to boost the U17 Women’s Sprint Relay Team to a huge win and Club record.
A personal best and English Schools Athletic Association (‘ESAA’) qualifying time saw Holly Murray win the Under 17 Women’s 200m in 25.80 as well as finishing second in the 300m (in the same time as the winner) with 42.1. Holly was also part of the two relay teams that set club records in both the 4x100 and 4x300m relays.
Another ESAA qualifier came from Under 17 Emily Misantoni in her first ever 300m Hurdles with a time of 45.4 which means she now ranks second in the UK for this event despite never having competed in it before.
Emily also went on to have a Long Jump win with 4.97 and made a huge contribution to the team as they ran to Club U17 Records in both the 4x300 and 4x100m relays.
Recognition should also got to Maija Dunne, who put in an excellent performance for the team, running her first ever Under 20 Women’s 400m Hurdles and finishing second with a time of 81.8.
Maija then went on to run her first ever 400m followed by a Javelin personal best and her first time in this age group running first leg for the Under 20 Women’s 4x100m.
Jack Brown-Schofield took a well-deserved second place in the U17 Men’s 200m ‘A’ race with a personal best of 24.5.Liam Haigh represented Stockport in the ‘B’ race and also snatched a personal best and third place with 25.6.
Jordan Kelly took first place in the Under 20 Men’s Discus Throw with a personal best of 38.40. Harry Miller-reedman also took second in the Under 17 Men’s Javelin with a 39.28m personal best.
The next Youth Development League match takes place on Saturday 19 May 2018 with the Under 13 and Under 15 groups competing on this day at Stretford.