Burt back in fine style
Podium place won on return from injury
Peasedown St John runner Anna Burt was determined to end her schools’ athletics career on a high – and that is exactly what she achieved despite the health and injury issues that have interrupted her season. Representing Avon at the New Balance English Schools’ Track & Field Championships in Birmingham, a determined Burt dug deep to make the podium for the first time with a bronze medal in the senior girls’ 800m. “I am really pleased with my bronze medal,” said Burt. “I was hoping to win a medal but was certainly not expecting one as I have not had the best preparation. “I did not feel great in the heats on Friday and was worried that I might suffer even more in the final the next day. “It was a struggle and coming down the home straight with 50 metres to go I was in fourth and thinking it would be sad if I didn’t win a medal on my final appearance. “But I dug in and got the medal so I am so pleased to get something out of the season as it has been hard work getting back into some sort of shape compared to where I was in May.” That the bronze was Burt’s first medal in the English Schools’ Championships may surprise many in the light of her success over the past two years. But it was because of that success that she hadn’t raced the championships for the past two years as the Hayesfield School student won silver at the European Youth Olympics and Commonwealth Youth Games. “This is the first season I have had problems which has been hard, but it is fun to be back racing again and managing two good 800m races back to back,” added Burt. “Back in May at the Loughborough International I ran an 800m and felt dead for days afterwards, so I am getting better. “Now I’ll have a few fun races for the rest of the season but the main aim will be to get ready for the winter training.” Team Bath clubmate Jenna Blundell has endured similar problems to Burt over the past year with a succession of leg injuries, and if there had been any justice she, too, would have come away with a bronze medal at the weekend. But despite a valiant effort Blundell missed out on the podium by two one-hundredths of a second in the senior girls’ 100m hurdles. “I went to Birmingham thinking I could get onto the podium so to finish fourth was a bit annoying at first,” said Blundell. “But in the grand scheme of things as I am on my comeback after injury I am still very pleased with my result. “I am feeling very positive about what is to come in the future.” Another Team Bath athlete to impress was Jake Burkey as he finished fifth in the senior boys’ long jump, his best ever result in the event, beating his seventh place as an inter boy two years ago. In his final appearance in the championships Robert Howorth did well to place seventh in a highly competitive senior boys’ 800m, but twin John just missed out on making the final of the 1,500m. Also on her farewell appearance another Team Bath athlete and former Running Bath/chronicle competition winner Caitlin Wosika was a creditable seventh in the senior 1,500m steeplechase. Representing Avon in the inter girls 1,500m steeplechase, King Edward’s School student Enya Maylor was a creditable ninth, while in the senior girls’ high jump Renee Jelf finished 12th. Not content with just finishing 13th in the inter boys’ shot final at the English Schools’ Championships, Team Bath multi-eventer Rory Howorth was back in club action the following day in the second Avon League match at Stoke Gifford. Howorth won the U17 400m in 52.1secs, with Femi Akimbobola second in 52.9secs, and also won the high jump with 1.85m, equalling his personal bests. Clubmate Jonathan Evans was second with a PB of 1.63m. Enya Maylor also showed her stamina following up her ninth place in the schools’ final by winning the U17 800m in 2mins 24.4 and was also runner-up in the 200m in 27.8, and the 300m hurdles in 47.6. One of the outstanding races of the day was the U17 100m with the Team Bath trio of Ethan Hall (11.1), Akimbobola (11.2) and Luka Williams (11.3) enjoying a clean sweep. Another highlight was the U17 men’s 1,500m, with Justin Davies (4:18.5) and Alex Parsons (4:19). Harry Meredith and Ellery Cole dominated the U17 men’s 400m hurdles in 58.5 and 59.7 respectively, and Joel Mattacks stepped up into the senior men’s 400m hurdles, clocking a fine 66.3 for victory. The other senior men’s winners were Imam Qazi and Marcin Olech, while the U15 boys winners included Fraser Middleton, Filip Oczko and Andrew Slater. Tyla Werrett continues to impress with wins in the U13 girls’ 75m (10.0) and the 150m in 19.1, with a third place in the long jump at 4.45m. For the U15 girls, Sophie Harrison won the shot with 8.93m and Tabitha Gallen won the 17 100m and 200m in 13.2 and 27.4 respectively. Senior women’s winners were Sarah Long, Jenna Blundell, Caitlin Wosika, pictured opposite, and Robyn Ellison. 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.