There were some terrific medal winning performances from the Harriers over the two day County Championships held at the traditional Corby Triangle track over what was a fine weekend for athletics.
Main headlines were a Championship best performance for Katie Gibson in the U15G Hammer who threw 39.27 to take Gold and move to UK No 2 in the U13 girls Rankings. There were also some terrific Double Gold medal winning performances from both the sprint & Middle Distance squads, and many athletes also setting impressive new PB’s.
Sprint Squad
A total of 17 medals were won by the sprint squad over the weekend.
Fresh from achieving two personal bests and English School entry standards last weekend, Erin Healy, set yet another PB of 25.9 when winning the U17 girls 200m. In a race that was turned into a time trial, she managed to nudge her closest opponent, Mary Beetham-Green, of Rugby & Northampton into 2nd place. Alex Beale earned a well-deserved bronze medal in this race.
Erin Healy fine win in the 200m & a silver for the 100m
In the U17 girls 100m, which was a straight final, Erin & Mary's positions were reversed. Running into a headwind, with four of her training partners also competing in the race, Erin finished in a time of 13.2 to secure the silver medal. Bronze went to Kira Lear following a superb run that saw her pick up her first County medal.
Cynthia Ike, Achim Loibl, and Emmanuel Mbu all did the 100m & 200m double in their debut County Championships. Achim had two magnificent runs that saw him set new PBs' of 11.6 and 23.6. Lewis-Morgan Barton ran a strong race in the 100m to secure the bronze medal, just edging out Dylan Mukhtar, who had picked up a bronze medal in the 200m the day before. Cynthia's outstanding performance in the U15 200m saw her awarded the Walker Trophy for her run. A fast finishing, Berny Kwei-Tagoe, picked up a bronze medal in the same race. Emmanuel Mbu showed great promise for the future with two very strong runs over the weekend.
Achim Loibl fine wins in 100/200m Classic Double 100& 200m gold for Cynthia Ike
Emmanuel Mbu superb 100/ 200m double in first championship
The U15 boys 100m was won by Max Mowforth who pulled away from his opposition with ease to win in a time of 12.5 seconds. Sam Harrison ran a strong race in the U15 boys 200m and was just edged into silver medal position in a time of 25.8 seconds.
Middle Distance Squad
There was a terrific return of 17 medals also from the Middle Distance squad over the weekend, with Dyaln Bowley finally securing his first and second Gold County Track medals for the classic 800m & 1500m. Dylan was in imperious form over the 800m running a grade 1 time on his own to destroy the field in 2:06.5 11 seconds ahead of second place, and then returned the following day on his birthday to repeat the feat in the 1500m with a supremely comfortable win in 4:24.7 some 12 seconds ahead of second place.
Dylan Bowley imperious wins in 800m & 1500m
Lily Carmichael enjoyed a successful championship securing the U20 Women’s 800/ 1500m double to show she is getting back to full fitness, with a magnificent performance in the 800m to secure the win with a late challenge in the home strait to snatch the Gold medal from R&N's Lauren Cunild with 2:27.2. Lily returned on the Sunday to secure Gold in the 1500m with a fine run in 5:09.1
Lily carmichael (right) double gold for 800/ 1500m & silver for Bethan Lewis in 1500m
There were other Gold medals won in the 800m events from U13 Adam Jawad who surprised the field with a strong display of front running to secure a superb win with a magnificent 25 second PB in 2:25.5 ahead of R&N Louis Buttrick to move into the Uk top 50 rankings. Vet Tony James fresh from setting a new 400m club record continued his fine form in the masters 800m with a blistering first lap which broke the field to win in 2:11.8 in a new Vet 40-50 club record, his third so far this year.
Adam Jawad U13 B 800 Gold & 25 sec PB, Tony James masters 800m Gold & new CR
There were other medals secured in the 800m with a fine bronze’s for Poppy Carmichael in the U17W race, and for Sophie Moss in the U20W. There were impressive PB’s for both the Raulia Twins, Brandon & Ryan, with the latter slicing over 20 seconds from his PB with 2:23.2, with Twin Brandon having to settle for just a 0.5 second PB with 2:20.7. Ben Brooker also set a 6 second PB with a fine run to just miss out on a bronze medal, and Lucas Rogers also improved his 800 PB by over 10 seconds with 2:37.2.
In the 5000m race the sole KTH entrant, Edward Cannel ran a fine race to secure a bronze medal in 17:10.
In the longer sprints the MD squad also looked impressive, with Tom Jaward setting a 1 second PB in the U17M 400m to win with ease and take the Gold, and 400m Silver medals being secured by SW Krisztina Kurucz with a fine new PB of 64.9 & Tony James in the master’s race with 57.0. In the 300m Jack Althorpe won a fine silver with an impressive new PB with 44.8 in the U15B race while Harriett Jolley won a bronze with a solid run in 46.3.
In the 1200m the sole KTH entrant, Ernie Jackson ran a superb race to secure a silver medal in 4:09.6. Further medals won the 1500m included Ben Brooker who returned to better his 4th place in the 800m to secure a fine Bronze in 5:10.5 which was his first race over this distance. U20 Bethan Lewis also won a fine silver medal with 5:12.5 to equal her PB in her opening race of the season.
Field Events
In addition to the U15 G Hammer which saw Katie Gibson set a new Championship best performance, athletes competing in field events included sprint squad’s Lewis-Morgan Barton, Sam Harrison, Matilda Brathwaite, and Josh Gray. Lewis-Morgan achieved two personal bests, winning the U17 boys triple jump with a jump of 11.82, jumping 5.43 in the long jump, and equalled his personal best of 1.65 in the high jump for a Silver, to take his medal haul for the championship to 4.
Katie Gibson CBP in U15 G Hammer & Lewis-Morgan Barton in action in the High jump
Sam Harrison achieved a distance of 8.93 to set a new personal best in the shot. Matilda Braithwaite also threw 20.79 for a personal best in the U15 girls discus. Josh Gray won a silver medal in the U17 boys triple jump with a jump of 11.49m. He also won his 100m hurdles race on Saturday. Josh Cannell won the U17 B Discus & Olivia Knibb picked up silver for the U17W Javelin.
Well done to all the athletes who participated, regardless of winning a medal, setting a PB or just enjoying the competitive nature of sport.