Press Report: England Champ Harriet on World Stage

ATHLETICS
by Dennis Wall

HARRIET WHEELER has booked her place in next month’s World Athletics Under 20 Track and Field Championships.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club thrower will compete in Eugene, Oregon, after producing the performance of her life to claim the England Athletics Under-20 women’s javelin title in Bedford at the weekend.

Harriet launched a magnificent throw of 53.95 metres knowing that the required standard for Team GB selection was 51.50 metres and rose to the occasion.

The championship-winning effort not only earned her the national title and a championship best performance but also confirmed her selection for the World Championships, where she will represent Great Britain against the world’s best young under 20 athletes.

Competing in a high-quality field and under the pressure of a major championship,Harriet demonstrated remarkable composure and competitive maturity.

Her 53.95m throw was a statement performance — combining technical excellence, power, and confidence at exactly the right moment.

West Cheshire club mate, Niamh Le’Gall, is hoping to join Harriet in America after being crowned the under 20 women’s 200m champion.

Niamh clocked 23.67 seconds to win the title after posting a winning time of 23.81 seconds in her qualifying heat. 

MIA JOHNSON produced a 200m personal best, Welsh Under 16 age group best and championship best performance of 24.00 seconds to claim the title at the Welsh Schools Track and Field Championships held at Aberdare.

And West Cheshire club mate, Lucca Tardivel secured second position in the Senior Boys 200m with a time of 21.93 seconds.

Mia and Lucca are now hoping they will be selected for Wales at the Schools International Championships being held on Saturday, July 18, at Belfast, Northern Ireland.

ALAN LITTLER represented Great Britain in the Nordic Track and Field Championships, held at Oslo’s Bislett Stadium.

Alan sliced 0.88 off his 800m personal best to clock 2:06.52 to finish second in his race and first in his age group and posted 55.21 seconds for second place in the 400m and first position in his age group.

CHARLES UCHENNA celebrated two new club records at the third round of the Cheshire Track and Field Grand Prix, at Ashton Under Lyne.

Charles won the under 12 boys long jump with 4.17m, secured success in the 75m with 10.10 seconds, and rounded the 600m in 2:01.88 in only his second competition of the season and only his third ever competition.

Henry Wright (9.83m) and Charles Owen (7.14m) hit new under 14 and under 12 boys shot put club records, and Charles added the discus record of 17.67m.

Dan Crosby equalled the under 16 boys high jump record of 1-75m, and clocked 11.79 in the 100m, while Logan Lambert registered a new under 10 boys 75m record time of 13.35 seconds.

Lyra Allison established an under 10 girls long jump record of 3.13m and clocked 12.38 in her 75m, while her sister, Hermione, hit 10.71m in the under 12 girls discus.

Evie Whittaker cleared a new under 16 girls high jump club record of 1-65m, while her sister, Freya cleared a new personal best of 1-46m.

Joy Hickman clocked a new over 60 women’s 100m club record of 17.02 seconds, while Rosie Grimsditch rounded the 1200m in a new under 14 girls club record time of 4:11.95, and Arianwen Setters achieved a new under 12 girls shot put club record of 5.61m.

Heidi Anstey won the under 12 girls 75m in a time of 10.50 seconds, while Kade Harris celebrated a new 300m personal best of 39.33.

Violet Thorne (9.73m) and Amelia Owen (9.60m) achieved new personal bests in the shot put, while Violet cleared a new best of 1-40m in the high jump.

And Arwen Thorne delivered a new under 18 women’s shot put personal best of 12.22m.

WEST CHESHIRE AC will be represented by 10 members at this weekend’s English Schools Track & Field Championships being held at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium, on Friday and Saturday.

Violet Thorne (Discus), Satine Wearden (Hammer), and Arwen Thorne (Javelin) will be competing for Merseyside, while the following members will be competing for Cheshire: Lewis Morris (3000m), Dun Xue (Discus), Alba March (100m), Harriet Wheeler (Javelin), Kara Stoll (Hammer), Jess Mann (200m), and Maya Jennings (300m).

ARWEN THORNE has qualified to compete at the English Schools Combined Events Championships being held on 19th and 20th September, at Bedford.

Arwen compiled a new personal best points tally of 4,842 to finish runner-up in the North West Regional Round Intermediate Girls Heptathlon Competition held at Ellesmere Port Sports Village.

Arwen’s results were: 15.87 seconds in the hurdles; 1-62m in the high jump; 11.01m in the shot put; 27.89 seconds in the 200m; 4.84m in the long jump; 39.63m in the javelin; and 2:53:47 in the 800m.

FIXTURES this weekend include the English Schools Track and Field Championships, on Friday and Saturday, at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium; the Under 18s and Under 20s Youth Development Track and Field League, at Ellesmere Port Sports Village, on Sunday; the Wilmslow Summer 10k, on Sunday; and the Arrowe Park 5 Miler, on Sunday.