There was a number of Harriers in action in the Midland Counties U15/U17 Championships this weekend and the undoubted highlight was U15 Emily Williams who was crowned Midland Counties Champions for U15G 1500m with a superb victory in her less preferred event. Emily went into the race in great form and quickly dispelled any pre-race nerves once the gun had gone, sticking straight to her race plan in tracking the early leader, R&N Amy Walker, and ensuring she was prepared for any injection of pace, as it was Emily herself started to up the pace and she forged ahead of the chasing pack with 500m to go and stretched her lead to win comfortably in the end by 40m.
Midland Counties Champion - Emily Willams Superb Gold in the U15G 1500m
Emily was delighted to win her first major championship title, and this capped a wonderful season for the 13 year old, who made the English schools final and set a new club record for her main 800m event.
Erin Healy also produced two top class performances to secure a superb Bronze medal in the U15G 300m to also complete a great finish to a frustrating season hindered by an early season injury. Erin qualified in a comfortable 2nd place in her heat with a new PB of 43.1 to show that her great form in training could be transferred into a race performance. She returned in the final 2 hours later to run a superb race which saw her power into the lead after running a superb bend, the 13 year old just faded slightly in the final 30 m to be denied a Gold or Silver, but she was delighted with her performance especially as she set another hugely impressive PB with a scorching 42.01 a full second quicker than her heat!
U15G Midland Counties Medal winners, Emily Williams Gold 1500m & Erin Healy Bronze 300m
Both girls are bottom year athletes so show huge promise going into the 2016 season.
Other Harriers in action were U15 Danielle Gaskell who finished 8th in the 1500m perhaps looking a little jaded and needing her 2 week rest? U17 Claudia Nevett was also in action on the Saturday with a solid race in the 3000m finishing in 6th place with a near SB performance.
Well Done to all athletes