Pawlett takes pride of place
ATRIO of Stockport trained junior athletes took high up places in the recent English Indoor combined events championships at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
Pride of place went to second-placed under 15s silver medallist Abigail Pawlett.
It was more than a hop, skip and a jump for Pawlett as she was up against eventual winner Lucy-Jane Matthews of Southampton Athletic Club, who stormed to a winning finish with 3649 cumulative points to Pawlett’s contribution of 3341.
Matthews was first in the high jump, shot put, long jump and 800 metres but the ever improving Pawlett denied Matthews a clean sweep by taking the individual 60 metres title, her specialist event.
Several other Stockport trained athletes also participated in the five event challenge with Emily Misantoni (Stockport) in fifth and Daisy Worthington (Bury AC) in sixth and together with support from Holly Aichenson (15th), Evie Wild (24th), Amie Battle (29th), Maija Dunne in her first ever national championship in 40th place and Rebecca Roach (41st).
Dunne was pleased to record personal bests in three of her events in the under 15s pentathlon being the 60 metre hurdles, shot put and 800 metres whilst in the under 17s age group Stockport trained Laura Hickey of Leigh Harriers made it a creditable 11th finish amongst the under 17s competitors in a none too easy competition.
Tuesday evenings will never be the same again for some who are new to athletics with eight adult beginner runners participating in the “Couch to 5 kms” course organised by Stockport endurance coach Alexis Dinsmor and it’s working well for all of them.
Dinsmor exuded enthusiasm in that she was aiming for them to participate in the locally-based Park run at Woodbank Park on Saturday mornings by the end of the eight week course but some are already taking part already and it’s only just over halfway through the programme and she will be looking for another intake of participants during the early summer after the success of this first and current intake.
The rains came again for the penultimate Stockport primary schools cross country races at Woodbank Park with an alteration to the course to prevent wear and tear but this did nothing to deter the enthusiasm amongst the competitors with Niamh Mackintosh leading the Year 3 and 4 girls’ race in by the slenderest of margins and by just one second from second finisher Aisling Brooks of which both students were representing Ladybrook school.
In the equivalent boys’ event, Josh Garrone of Vernon Park school made it a perfect 5 wins out of 5 (Years 3 and 4) while in the older age Year 5 and 6 age groups there were wins for Jasmine Read of Rose Hill for the girls and Luke Carrington of Gee Cross for the boys and following on from the sixth and final event after all results have been collated, there will be the season’s prize giving which will take place at the Woodbank Stadium at 10.30am this coming Saturday, 25th March, when it is hoped as many as possible of the competitors together with parents and friends will make the effort to attend.