Hotshot Max makes his mark

NEWBURY Athletic Club’s young athletes enjoyed their first taste of competition this year with a ‘members only’ throws competition.

It was timed to give the athletes a chance to compete in the English Schools Virtual Championships.

The first event was the shot, and in his first-ever competition, under-15 Max Wheeler threw 12.24m.

Several others also threw their personal bests – U17 Harry Ricketts with 11.09m, U15 Fin Hanham with 9.94m and Senior Ryan Hill 8.95m.

M60 Bob Broadbridge threw 12.59m and Helen Broadbridge threw 10.55m.

In the discus, Michaela Whitton and Helen Broadbridge both threw over 41m, and Bob Broadbridge threw 44.12m.

U15s Francesca Bailey and Fin Hanham both went beyond their PBs with 19.84m and 30.17m.

The hammer was even better. U17 Harry Ricketts and U23 Jamie Kuehnel both went close to the club records as Ricketts threw 58.72m and Kuehnel 54.67m.

Helen Broadbridge also went beyond 50m several times.

And several athletes exceeded their PBs – U15 Fin Hanham with 41.88m, U17 Ruby Studart with 30.63m, Michaela Whitton with 36.22m and Ryan Hill with 21.80m.

Ricketts threw an outstanding 19.94m in the weight, while Bob

Broadbridge threw 16.66m and Kuehnel, Helen Broadbridge and Hanham all went over 14m.

The javelin was held on Thursday, with a crosswind and pouring rain, but that didn’t stop U13 Anna Delavere from throwing an excellent 24.59m – more than 7m ahead of her PB.

Some excellent performances were submitted to the English Schools Virtual Championship and Ricketts was second in U17 hammer, Hanham was third in U15 hammer and Wheeler third in U15 shot.

Newbury AC have also held several virtual running events – on road and track – and these performances and results will be shared next week alongside this weekend’s club championship races.