QUADRATHLON FUN FOR HARRIER YOUNGSTERS
Sunderland Harriers’ youngsters competed against themselves in an end of term Quadrathlon at the Silksworth Sports Complex track.
The event, designed to introduce the Under-11s, Under-13s and Under-15s to the challenge of outside competition, had around 50 young athletes taking part.
The event, organised by Fundamentals coach Barry Lane, saw the youngsters compete in the standing long jump, throw the howler, 100m and 800m.
The winner of each of the four age groups was decided by the athlete with the lowest number of points for the four events.
The overall winners were: Under-11 Girls: Logan Wilson. Under-11 Boys: Harry Clay. Under-13 Girls: RosieTeasdale. Under-13 Boys: David Evans.
Under-15 Girls: Jade Thirlwell. Under-15 Boys: Cameron Lawton.
Houghton Harriers’ young athletes finished second overall in the North East Youth Development League Division 2 South.
In the final meeting at Middlesbrough Sports Village, they had 11 first places in the track events and eight first place finishes in the field events.
This was a final opportunity to qualify for an invitation to compete in the NEYDL Inter League Challenge team against Yorkshire.
To qualify for the meeting on September 3, at Middlesbrough, athletes need to be ranked in the top three through their performances throughout the NEYDL season.
And when they went into the final fixture, they had six athletes with a top three ranked performance.
The athletes and their qualifying events are: Tom Bowdon (triple jump and 400m hurdles), Luke Carroll (400m hurdles), Matthew Cleugh (long jump and 800m), Philippa Ellis (75m hurdles, 100m and shot), Henry Johnson (300m and 1500m) and Nicole Phillips (1500m).
Under-15 Nicole Phillips also surprised many with her win the Sedgefield 10km in a time of 44.57.
In the Northern Front Runners 5km, Sunderland Harriers had Ian Ritchie in fifth (16.21) and Callum Greig 47th (19.56) in the event won by Tyne Bridge Harrier James Dunce (15.32).
Clubmate Over-45 veteran Michael Thompson recorded 16.59 in 10th in the New Marske 5km.