STARS OF THE FUTURE SHINE IN DERBY By Susan Jardine
As Paris said adieu to the Olympics the Moorways Stadium in Derby played host to the Northern Athletics Championships for Under 13s, Under 15s and Under 17s.
Over two days CBP’s tumbled and doubles were completed in mixed weather conditions. Saturday greeted everyone with a persistent drizzle, not that it was going to stand in the way of Alani May Dumbaya in the Under 17 shot putt as the Leigh athlete landed a putt of 15.10 to both retain her title and remove Toni Buckingham’s championship record which was set ten years ago.
Contrast Alani May’s record with the exploits of Logan Cowling in the Under 13’s boys event on Sunday – where the City of Kingston upon Hull athlete nailed a putt of 15.83. Conditions were much better but still a performance that had a few jaws dropping and saw Ben Copley’s record of 10.10 disappear from the record books, which was set in 2015.
Someone else who capitalised on the ideal conditions on the Sunday was Oscar Burke. Firstly the Horwich RMI Harrier broke the existing 100m CBP of Peter Fowowe in the heats, setting a new time of 12.49 but then broke his newly created CBP in the final when he charged through to win the event in 12.36. As if this was not enough Oscar dominated the 200m to complete the sprint double.
The record breaking spree continued in the sprint hurdles. Lewis Shaw from Warrington set a new mark of 13.02 in winning the Under 17 event and then Shaw’s Warrington clubmate in the Under 15 girls hurdles Olivia Crawford was also re-writing the record books. She broke the longstanding record of Liz Fears, set in 1992 with a new mark of 10.96. It was one of those golden weekends of athletics where everyone seemed to be taking inspiration from each other. Millie Rhodes of Spenborough and District Athletics blasted through the 300m heat in a time of 40.80 would then go on to take the title where like Oscar Burke she lowered her own record to 40.65.
There are double combinations that one tends to think of immediately – but equally there are some that encompass winning on both the track and in the field. Victoria Chapman of Border Harriers eased to victory in the Under 15 high jump where she sailed over a height of 1.65 which is a personal best. She then transferred her attention to the 100m where she eased through her heat and semi final to arrive in the final. Chapman faced competition from Alyssia May from Bolton United and had to fight all the way before finally edging the final by 7/100ths of a second. Noah Taylor from Trafford completed a 100m and 200m double and set a new PB in the 100m final. Wakefield’s Joshua Akintolu completed the long and high jump double. Like Victoria Chapman he had to battle the drizzle of Saturday before enjoying the hot conditions on Sunday. Whatever the weather it was not going to affect Joshua’s performance. He sailed to a 6.29 in the long jump then cleared 1.80 in the high jump.
In that Under15 long jump Joshua beat Charlie Reilly into second place, but the City of Sheffield on Dearne athlete would soon be picking up a gold medal when he won the triple jump. Charlie and elder brother Arthur both competed over the weekend. Arthur competed in the Under 17 pole vault. Arthur, a multi eventer who has a PB of 4.40 in the pole vault, set in Sheffield earlier this year was challenged in the event by Darlington’s Thomas Hill on the first day of the competition. Both cleared 4.10, Hill however seizing what was to be a critical advantage with a first-time clearance, while Reilly required three attempts to clear. That they both failed three times on 4.20 saw the countback rule invoked and because Thomas had cleared 4.10 at the first time of asking the County Durham athlete took the title. Like Charlie Reilly Arthur would also pick up a gold medal when he won the U17 long jump with a leap of 6.24 to seal the title , beating another multi eventer in Matejus Varnelis of Leeds City in the process. Varnelis placing fourth.
Blyth’s Sadie Parker contested the U17 long jump, the javelin , shot putt and the 200m. Parker who has had a successful year on the track, indoors and outdoors had extended her PB in the long jump to 5.79 a couple of weeks ago and in round two of the long jump replicated it, en route to taking the title. Sadie’s Blyth team mate Amber Wright had occupied second place until the latter stages of the event when Charlotte McKenzie of City of Kingston upon Hull nailed a 5.31 to snatch second. McKenziie would also claim bronze in the 200m behind Ella Bibby of Warriors who claimed the title
There were also the middle distance events, which are the 800m and the 1500m. It was to be a Geordie double in the Under 15 and the Under 17n 1500m as the North Shields Poly played monopoly. Firstly James Sturman locked horns with William Delamere in the Under 15s – the final 100m saw both locked in battle as firstly Sturman looked to have a slight advantage – but Delamere would not give way and then nosed in front himself. It was a last second push that saw James Sturman to victory, beating William Delamere by 3/100’s of a second. Just minutes later it was the turn of Daniel Watson, again of the Poly, to take to the track and ultimately hold off Rotherham’s Mikey Bacon to win the Under 17 event in a time of 4:08:69. And to cap a successful climax to day two for the North East there were two gold medal for Gateshead Harriers as Matthew Inman won the 400m while Maria Gordon eased to victory in the U17 sprint hurdles, while Maria had crossed the line comfortably ahead of her rivals the battle for silver ended in a joint silver medal for Lucy Duckett and Jemima Miles of Preston Harries and Bury Harriers respectively both given the same time
And what of Derby AC. The hosts with a lovely setting for the championships enjoyed success too as Caitlin Hadfield won the Under 17 300m while Kaylah McKenzie took the U17 100m. Derby have a rich history in the sport with the likes of Fiona May, Arthur Kelly, Phil Harries and Mike Bullivant all among their famous alumni over the years.
So, with that the curtain fell on Derby. It also signifies the end of the track and field season in the Northern Athletics calendar. The transition to the roads as the road relays take us into the autumn of a year that has flown by with athletes preparing to embark on their autumn and winter training before the indoor season gets underway in the New Year.
Susan Jardine is the presenter of Sportszone which can be heard on Nova Radio North East on Saturdays 2pm-6pm
Saturday Results
Sunday Results
Mick Hall’s Saturday Photos
Mick Hall’s Sunday Photos
Podium Pictures from Eileen Ingham can be found below:
