Sophie Spearheads English Challenge

SOPHIE PERCIVAL is celebrating success for her club and country.

The talented West Cheshire Athletic Club thrower powered her way to victory for England at the Welsh Under 20 International Match in Cardiff after launching the womens javelin to a new personal best distance of 42.08m.

Percival, who celebrates her 20th birthday this weekend, is a student at Chester University and is currently fifth for her age group on the UK under 20 womens javelin ranking lists.

The Ellesmere Port-based athlete also helped West Cheshire AC win promotion to the Under 17 and Under 20 Youth Development Track and Field League Division One North West with a double success story.

Percival hit 39.11m for top spot in the under 20 womens javelin and also spun the discus to a winning mark of 19.36m.

Alex Kearns, Matthew Pagan, James McMahon and Zac Barnsley also capitalised in West Cheshire`s home match at the Ellesmere Port Sports Village track by clocking a new under 20 mens 4x400m club record time of three minutes 41.9 seconds.

Pagan had earlier posted 11.2 seconds for victory in the 100m, while McMahon won the pole vault (3.60m), long jump (6.60m) and the discus (32.95m) alongside B winner Barnsley (21.10m).

English Schools Championship gold medallist George Hyde secured a hat-trick of victories in the under 17 mens hammer (36.50m), javelin (34.28m) and shot (15.70m), alongside B winners and team mates Jac Goodall (22.94m in the hammer), Sam Grinter (25.52m in the javelin), and Goodall (8.82m in the shot).

Goodall also won the under 17 mens 1500m steeplechase (5:22.7), and Will Rattray bagged success in the under 17 mens 100m hurdles (17.1) and discus (31.13m).

Dave Dentith (2:10.2) and Joseph Morrison (2:11.3) teamed up for a double success story in the under 17 mens 800m, while Ethan Greenland (9:56.1) and Patrick Tait (11:28.9) grabbed glory in the 3000m.

Josh Ford won the under 17 mens long jump (5.45m), and Charlie Douglas won the under 17 mens B 200m (24.7).

Georgia Barlow blasted her way to a double success story in the under 20 womens 100m (12.8) and 200m (26.4), while Katie Clarke won the 3000m (10:28.5), 1500m steeplechase (5:48.5) and B discus (13.92m).

Issy Clarke won both the under 17 womens 800m (2:27.6) and 1500m (5:04.4), while Maisie Tipping clocked a winning time of 47 seconds in the 300m hurdles, Isobel Griffin Morris spun the discus to a winning mark of 44.98m, and Emma Howe won the javelin with 39.69m.

Greenland, Morrison, Dentith and Douglas combined to secure the under 17 men success with a time of 3:48.2 in the 4x400m relay.

They were backed up by Alice Barnsley who was third in the under 17 womens long jump (4.39m), Alex Kearns who was second in under 20 mens 400m (57.0), Jake Gibson who was fourth in the under 17 mens B 100m (13.2), Harri Britton who secured third place in the under 17 mens 1500m (5:20), and Sophie Carter in the under 20 womens long jump.

MATCH RESULT: 1 West Cheshire AC 548 points; 2 Blackpool Wyre and Fylde 507; 3 Border Harriers 418; 4 M60 Nomads 345; 5 Bury AC 143; 6 Horwich RMI Harriers 60.

ENTRIES close this Friday for the U17 and U15 Combined Events Championships at Bedford being held on August 20 and 21, which incorporate the North, Midlands and Welsh Championships. Further details can be obtained by ringing 01924 457922 or emailing: [email protected]

ENTRIES are now open for the Cheshire County Multi-Events Championships being held at Macclesfield on Sunday, September 11. Further details can be obtained by ringing David Henshaw on 07958 118161 or by emailing: [email protected]

FIXTURES this weekend include the Les Baldwin Memorial Wrexham Games at Queensway Stadium, on Saturday (11am start), the same day as the North Wales Half Marathon at Conwy (11am start), and the England Athletics Track and Field Championships and CAU Inter Counties Championships at Bedford.

The Helena Tipping Memorial 10k Road Race takes place on Sunday from Wrexham Industrial Estate (10am start).

The Wirral AC Endurance Track Series 5,000m Race takes place at Bebington Oval on Wednesday, (August 3), at 7pm, the same night as the Ponderosa Hill Race on the Horseshoe Pass (7pm start), and the Pie and Peas Five Miles Road Race at Moulton, near Winsford (7.30pm start).