Rising stars in line for prize
This summer has seen some outstanding performances in track and field from Team Bath AC athletes.
National medals, international vests and numerous personal bests have been a constant theme in our weekly reports of the local scene so while the short-list may be shorter than usual, it is paced with quality.
But what the list does underline is that Team Bath’s bright young talents can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the very best in the country and that is a great tribute to the clubs and its many coaches.
As always, the winner will receive a voucher worth £80 towards a pair of shoes of their choice at Running Bath, the city’s premier athletics retailer where you can be assured of top class advice and service.
Running Bath/chronicle performance competition short-list 2022 (April-july)
Peter Krunity-salako
The Team Bath newcomer enjoyed a great debut season and looks like ending the summer as third best in the South West Rankings for under 17 men with a personal best of 1.90m.
He cleared that to win the U17s titles at the South West Inter Counties Championships at his first attempt.
Indeed, Krunity-salako, who is coached by Di Viles, has competed just four times this season and since winning the Wiltshire Schools’ title on
his debut in June with 1.67m has improved on every occasion.
Since then he finished runner-up in the South West Schools’ Championships (1.77m) before then leaping up to 1.85m and then on Sunday soaring further to 1.90m.
That height also places him 13th in the UK Rankings to underline his talent.
Dylan Stoneman
What a great summer the 16-year-old Beechen Cliff School student has enjoyed.
Stoneman won his first national medal when finishing runner-up in the inter boys’ 1500m steeplechase at the English Schools Championships in Manchester.
That earned the Team Bath AC runner his international debut for England at the SIAB British Schools’ Championships, in Belfast and he
added a bronze medal to his CV.
Furthermore, he slashed six seconds off the PB he set at Manchester with 4mins 21.40secs, which represents a 13 seconds improvement over two events for the Mark Thomas coached runner.
It means Stoneman will ends the season third in the UK Rankings and No 1 in the South West.
Charlie Haines
Also coached by Mark Thomas, 14-year-old Haines produced two outstanding runs to win a bronze medal in the junior boys 800m at the English Schools’ Championships.
Firstly, Haines of Kingswood School, clocked a PB of 2:03.45, smashing his previous best of 2:07.87 when winning the South West Schools’ title last month, to win his heat and secure his place in the final.
Remarkably Haines had even more left in the tank as he then improved to 2:01.16 to finish third in the final – representing a massive improvement of 6.71seconds over the two days.
Aidan Daniel
Away from the track action Daniel continued his good form on the roads with a big personal best in the Southwest PB Series 5k road race at Odd Down.
The Team Bath AC runner finished 14th overall in 15mins 37secs to slice 14 seconds off the time he ran over the same course at the end of June last year.
The result continues a good spell of form for Daniel, who last month notched up a double PB in the 3000m and 5000m, both on the same day, at the Wiltshire County Championships in Swindon.
Justin Davies
Davies won his first GB Under 20 vest at the Loughborough International in recognition of a sparkling personal best of 3:43.62 at the British Milers’ Club Grand Prix at Birmingham University.
The Loughborough event was a different type of race with a greater emphasis on tactics and finishing position and Davies placing a fine third in 3:51.50 as just 0.80secs covered the top five finishers.
Leading up to the race Davies had one eye on the time of 3mins 43.0secs which is the qualifying standard for the World Junior Championships in Colombia but injury prevented him from making a further attempt on that goal.