Cookson’s trio of pbs in CoP open meeting

Logan Cookson, below, produced three personal bests in a City of Portsmouth AC early-season open athletics meeting at the Mountbatten Centre.

Competing at under-15 level, he leapt 4.73m to win the long jump as well as clocking 13.37 in the 100m heats and 27.46 in the 200m heats.

Zac Williams fashioned two best performances in the

200m (23.7) and the high jump (1.60m).

Sprint trio Fola Odofin (200m, 26.0), Sadie Blake (400m, 61.26) and Jess Heng (400m, 64.18) clocked best ever times

The highlight, though, was the performance of Lily Baggott. In her first-ever track season, she clocked 25.85 in the 200m and a wonderful 12.44 in the 100m only 0.04 away from the club record that has stood since 1999.

Many of the middle distance athletes across all the ages excelled, with personal bests for Bella Digby (Under-20 women, 800, 02:25.74), Charlotte Despard (Under-20 women, 1,500m, 04:57.80) and Florence East (Under-15 girls, 800m, 02:21.27).

A number of the throwers made excellent starts to the season with personal best performances.

These included Tyler Pattison, with 45.58m in the Under-20 discus, and Jack Holt in the Under-17 javelin (49.00m).

One of the best performances of the day came from George Rodgers. Having only taken up the shot seriously last year, his winning 12.27m distance in the senior men’s event was a great start to the season.

Charlotte Pabari continues to showcase her potential with a club record of 38.03m in the Under-13 Javelin. To put this performance in context, that throw places her seventh on the all-time list of athletes of this age.

‘The results from the open (meeting) are encouraging across the whole of the club,’ said CoP secretary

Paul Farres. ‘They provide a wonderful base for each athlete to fulfil their full potential once the track and field season actually gets underway.’

Matches and events now come fast for the City of Portsmouth AC.

On April 24, the opening Wessex League meeting is held for Under-11 Quad kids, Under-13/15s and some athletes from other junior age groups.