Press Report: Impressive 3rd Places for Harriet and WCAC

ATHLETICS
by Dennis Wall

HARRIET WHEELER pocketed a bronze medal at the UK Athletics Championships.

The talented teenager produced another personal best and extended her club record to claim a podium place in the women’s javelin, throwing 51.07 metres under pressure in the last round at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.

Competing against some of Britain’s top senior athletes, Harriet rose to the occasion with her biggest throw to date, another one surpassing the 50m mark and improving her previous best by exactly one metre.

The result moves her closer still to the GB qualifying standard of 51.50m for this summer’s World Athletics Under 20 Championships in Eugene, USA.

Reflecting on her performance, Harriet said: “I’m really pleased to come away with a personal best and a bronze medal. Competing against such a strong field pushed me to produce my best throw, and it’s given me confidence going into the rest of the season.”

Harriet was joined at the prestigious event by West Cheshire team mates Niamh Le’Gall and Joseph Morrison.

Niamh clocked 23.79 seconds in her 200m heat, while Joseph rounded his 800m heat in a time of 1:49:07.

REGGIE MEDLAND posted a winning time of 15.12 seconds in the B under 16 boys 100m hurdles at Stoke on Trent in the Mason Trophy Inter Counties Track and Field Championships.

Reggie competed alongside other West Cheshire members representing their county including Evie Whittaker who cleared a new personal best of 1-63m for second place in the intermediate girls high jump and Evie Smith who cleared 1-54m for victory in the B event.

Freya Whittaker claimed a bronze medal in the junior girls high jump with a new personal best of 1-49m, while Dylan Gledhill hit a new personal best of 48.62m for a bronze medal in the intermediate boys javelin.

Imogen Fives clocked a personal best of 25.54 for fourth spot in her intermediate girls 200m and helped the mixed 4x100m relay team to victory, while Rose Sheppard posted 44.61 for fourth position in the junior girls 300m, and Erin Barnard was fourth with 43.44 in the intermediate girls B 300m.

Amelia Owen hit 9.49m for fourth place in the junior girls shot put, while Kade Harris was fifth with a personal best of 24.90 in the junior boys B 200m, and Jayden Clarke cleared 1-44m for sixth spot in the junior boys high jump.

Dan Crosby cleared 1-69m in the intermediate boys high jump, while Charlie Rice hit 29.06m in the intermediate boys discus, Jayden Walls clocked a new personal best of 24.18 in the junior boys 200m, Beth Manson rounded the intermediate girls 300m in 43.12, and Amber Cogan clocked 28.38 in the junior girls B 200m. 

ARWEN THORNE and Danielle Erskine teamed up for a double success story for West Cheshire in the latest round of the Northern Track and Field League West Premier Division.

The pair hit 39.55m and 24.91m to secure maximum points for their purple and gold-vested outfit at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday.

Arwen then combined with Alba March, Beth Manson and Imogen Pughe, to celebrate a winning time of 51.2 seconds in the women’s 4x100m relay.

Alba won the 100m in 12.3 seconds, while Cosette Wearden won the B 3000m in 11:30.4, Claire Smith won the B high jump with 1-45m, Ruby Billington won the B triple jump with 9.27m, Megan Kettle won the B hammer with 38.10m, and Dave McKay won the B discus with 33.59m.

Other important point scoring West Cheshire team members were Josh Stirling, Jacob Gardner, Paul Morrison, Alan Littler, Dan Walker, Lewis Morris, Scott Wells, Graham Wells, Christian Holcombe, Andy Gore, Dun Xue, Liliana Boelger, Eleanor Wheeler, Ellie Robinson, Emma Nutt, Sarah Hunter, Anita Boreham, Kara Stoll, and Satine Wearden. 

MATCH RESULT: 1 Trafford AC 404.5 points; 2 Blackburn Harriers & AC 357; 3 West Cheshire AC 351.5; 4 Wirral AC 329; 5 Sale Harriers Manchester 301; 6 Bury AC 293.

LEAGUE POSITIONS (after 2 rounds): 1 Trafford AC 12 league points, (815.5 match points); 2 Blackburn Harriers & AC 10 (705.5); 3 West Cheshire AC 6 (656.5); 4 Sale Harriers Manchester 5 (632); 5 Bury AC 5 (630); 6 Wirral AC 4 (615.5).

The next round will be held on Sunday, July 19, at Blackburn.

FIXTURES this weekend include the Northern Under 14 and Under 16 Track and Field Championships, at Leigh, on Saturday and Sunday; the English Schools Combined Events Regional Round, on Saturday and Sunday, at Ellesmere Port Sports Village; and the Welsh Championships, on Saturday and Sunday, at Cardiff.