Youngsters’ spirit impresses in league
Newly promoted Chichester knew they faced a battle in their opening National Youth Development League fixture at Woking.
But unfazed by the standard of competition, the squad of 22 performed with credit and were within touching distance of their rivals at the end of the match.
The most consistent Chichester group were the U15 girls and the squad of seven picked up useful points over the range of sprints, middle distance, jumps and throws.
Tilly Wyatt earned new PBS over 100m and 200m while the 1500m pair of Elodie Hill and Isla Hill scored well in that and the long jump.
Kitty Goodband and Anya Dickinson made their mark over 300m after Goodband and Isla Hill shone in the hurdles. Tilly Goodband showed form in the javelin, supported by Bella Noye, who picked up points in both high jump and shot. The seven scored in the 4x100 and 4x300m relays.
In the U15 boys’ events, one of only two double A and B string wins of the day came from Ben Stewart and Harry
Clarke in the 300m, with times of 40.6 and 41.6.
Stewart and Harry Dunne took runners-up spots in the 800m and had the same result in the shot put. Clarke did the high jump and partnered Daniel Eliis in the 200m where both notched PBS. Ellis had earlier won the 80m hurdles in a new PB of 13.3sec, edging out a Portsnouth rival by a tenth of a second.
Supporting Ellis was Kai Lendrum, winning the B string, running a quick 1500m and backing up Keiran
Mogridge in the javelin.
Showing great team spirit, Stewart, Dunne, Clarke and Mogridge gave a sterling performance in the 4x300m relay for third place in a excellent time just outside three minutes.
Chichester’s under-13s are a team in transition with the majority of last year’s squad having moved up into the U15s.
Max Gayle showed great form as runner-up in the hurdles and made his mark in the 150m and long jump. Joe Stewart won the B string hurdles and did well in 1200m and 150m while Finley Basford showed great determination in the 1200m, shot and long jump.
Four of the seven under-13 girls in action are still in the primary age group and the squad performed with great credit. Anna Wyatt spearheaded the sprints supported well by Sofia Hollands and Maya Stair over 75m and 150m respectively with Stair supporting Annabella Hollands over 800m.
Isla Pearson and Isabella Lendum ran well over 1200m and teamed up in the long jump while Lendrum supported Mia Hollands for good points in the 70m hurdles.
What exemplified the spirit of the Chichester squad was shown in the shot and javelin where Miai, Annabella and Sofia Hollands and Maya Stair, all from Walberton and Binstead Primary School, made sure events were covered – then tackled the 4x100m relay. Their reward? A selfie with Sir Mo Farah, there to support his twin daughters who were in one of the Surrey teams.