Abigail exceeds Ennis-Hill haul
AHATFUL of medals were brought back over the hills by local athletes from the North of England junior indoor track and field championships.
They included one competitor who, last December, exceeded the combined points score in her events over and above Jessica Ennis-Hill when turning back the clock to the same age group.
Harriers’ coaching co-ordinator Joe Frost enthused that this athlete from West Cheshire AC was under 15s finalist Abigail Pawlett, who now ranks as one of the top competitors in her age group and in the 60 metres hurdles final took the silver position by just 1/100th of a second behind eventual winner Nicole Lannie of Doncaster athletic club.
Stockport’s Jack Doodson cakewalked the under 13 boys’ long jump competition for the championship gold medal with a mighty leap of faith of 4.73 metres to leave George Hahn of Bingley Harriers well behind for the silver position (4:49) and then went on to do likewise in the high jump discipline (1:46) and taking a new championship record in the process and he is now ranked top in the high jump and second in the long jump in the UK in his age group for his efforts.
In the under 15 girls’ high jump final, Stockport’s Holly Aitchison took gold in 1:55 and in the process upped her UK ranking position to fifth, leaving Scarborough’s Isabel Matique of Scarborough to pick up the silver gong (1:50) and also in the high jump but at the lower age group (under 13s)
Rebecca Cox, also from Stockport took a well earned bronze medal in her first championship experience in 1:35 and this, after suffering a bout of a recent illness
At the longer track distances, Stockport coached athletes took first and second spot in the under 15 girls’ 800 metres final with second claim athlete Daisy Worthington (first claim Bury) taking the gold accolades in 2:20:22 and closely followed in for second spot was Stockport Harrier Emily Misantoni in 2:20:28 and with times like this, these athletes will surely make great contributions to the summer’s youth development league which commences in late April.
Over to the outdoors and the fourth of the Harriers’ sponsored primary schools cross country league meetings with the boys’ titles both sewn up for the season with four wins in a row in both the age group categories with Josh Garrone of Vernon park spearheading the Years 3 and 4 competition (6:07 for the short course) and Luke Carrington undertaking the same winning ways in the long course (time 10:18) for Years 5 and 6 representing Gee Cross Primary School.
It rained incessantly to start with but the dampness and mud did not put off the eventual winners in the girls’ competitions being Aisling Brooks for Years 3 and 4 from Ladybrook School (6:46) and in the senior event in Years 5 and 6 was Jasmine Reed from Rose Hill making it her third win thus far for the season in 10:47.
Special consideration was given to year 4 student Charlie Rayner representing Cale Green school who participated in and completed the course and is visually impaired and it was all thanks to Evie Wild, a second placed finisher from two years ago who provided the hand of guidance for the none too easy muddy course around the top of Woodbank Park.
Road races continue a plenty in the area with Stockport’s Jack Martin tucking yet another victory under his belt and on this occasion at the high quality Alsager five mile event completing in a time of 23:44 to second placed finisher Johnny Mellor of Liverpool Harriers who crossed the finish line also in a sub 24 minute timing (23:57).