Press report: Sophie beats KJT; Ennis meets Issy; Joe keeps busy

SOPHIE PERCIVAL defeated British Olympian Katarina Johnson-Thompson at the British Athletics Track and Field Championships.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club thrower launched the javelin 41.37m for 11th spot at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium, to finish more than one metre ahead of multi-eventer Johnson-Thompson.

Percival’s West Cheshire team mate, Laura Turley, clocked 56.07 seconds for sixth spot in her 400m heat, while former West Cheshire AC member, Matthew Pagan, clocked 48.93 seconds for eighth spot in his 400m heat representing Shaftesbury Barnet, and Saughall’s Lucy Evans posted 25.53 seconds in her 200m heat.

JOSEPH MORRISON completed his final Youth Development Track and Field League appearance in style.

The West Cheshire teenager appeared in no fewer than five events at the under 17 and under 20 match held at Leigh which featured a 2,000m steeplechase victory in six minutes 52.0 seconds.

He also added second spot in the 800m (2:00.0), second place in the B 400m (56.0), fourth spot in the 1500m (4:10.0), and then teamed up with his brother, Paul, Ethan Greenland, and Dave Dentith to finish third in the 4x400m relay with a time of 3:50.0.

Dentith won the B 800m (2:01.0), and Greenland won the B 2000m steeplechase in 7:04.0, while Ethan Milligan won the high jump with 1-80m, and Will Rattray (32.53m and 7.95m) and Jac Goodall (23.90m and 9.42m) claimed double-double victories in the discus and shot respectively.

Emma Howe won the under 20 ladies javelin with 41.43m and combined with Lauren Dimbylow (pole vault, high jump, long jump, shot put, and 100m), and Beth McMahon (400m, 800m, and long jump).

Under 17 ladies shot put winner Christina Broome (11.61m), teamed up with hammer-winning duo Evie Tipping (50.64m) and Lauren Jones (16.10m).

Sion Roberts won the under 17 mens 3000m with 10:12.0, and was backed up by the winning 4x400m relay quartet of Matthew Webb, Nathan Partington, Daniel Pagan and Ben Rutherford who clocked 3:53.0.

Other important match points were scored by Matthew Douglass, Harvey Tegg, Adam Howe, Jack Jones, Michael Ozoemelam, and Jacob Simmonds.

MATCH RESULT: 1 Wirral 650 points; 2 Preston 648; 3 Leigh 585; 4 Stockport 556; 5 West Cheshire 522; 6 Lancaster & Morecambe 483; 7 Crewe and Nantwich 397; 8 Bolton 340.

OVERALL FINAL LEAGUE STANDINGS (after three rounds): 1 Preston 23 league points (2199 match points); 2 Wirral 22 (1939); 3 Stockport 17 (1746); 4 West Cheshire 13 (1663); 5 Lancaster and Morecambe 12 (1505.5); 6 Leigh 11 (1446); 7 Crewe and Nantwich 7 (1251.5); 8 Bolton 3 (1036).

THREE West Cheshire AC members competed in the English Junior Fell Running Championships at the Up The Nab Race which also incorporating the Inter Counties Fell Championships.

Ethan Ackroyd ran for North Wales and finished 13th in a time of 31:23, ahead of Cheshire duo Ethan Greenland (18th in 35:38) and Jac Goodall (19th in 36:22).

WEST CHESHIRE AC was represented at the Alderley Edge By-Pass 10k race by Mark Davies 38 minutes seven seconds), Andy Carter (38:19), Tom Cable (39:53), and by Mark Gallagher (45:13).

JON CLARKE of West Cheshire AC celebrated success at Spenborough in the Northern Masters Track and Field Championships where he pocketed gold medals in the M60-64 age group in high jump and long jump, and silver medals in the 100m, 200m, and triple jump.

KERRY RILEY and Ellie Robinson represented West Cheshire AC at the Whaley Waltz 5.9 miles fell race.

ISSY ROBERTSON posted 57:39 at the Vitality London 10k Race where she met former Olympic heptathlete champion Jessica Ennis-Hill.

FIXTURES this week include the Chester Primary Schools Athletics Championships at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Friday.

West Cheshire AC will travel to York for the penultimate round of their Division One Northern Track and Field League match on Sunday, while the Northern Inter Counties Track and Field Championships will be held at Leigh on Saturday.

Macclesfield is the venue for the Cheshire Primary Schools Games on Wednesday, (July 11), the same day as the Wirral Track Endurance 10k at Bebington Oval; and the Sefton Park Five Miles Race.