HONOURS ARE SHARED
SIX DIFFERENT CLUBS TAKE THE GOLD MEDALS IN THE YOUNG ATHLETES’ EVENTS
IN NEAR-PERFECT weather, with very little wind, the races went off like clockwork, with each age-group’s boys going off first, followed five minutes later by the girls. There was some overlap, especially of the back markers, but all turned out well.
Conditions were near perfect as the men’s U17 race got underway
As last year, six different clubs shared the team gold medals, but only Aldershot, Farnham & District’s under-17 girls retained their title, although Shaftesbury Barnet’s under-15 winning boys from 2015 moved up to add the under-17 crown.
Titles for the taking: the women’s under-17 race begins at Sutton Park
The event had been in danger of being called off as the prebooked first-aiders failed to show, but several came forward in response to announcements for qualified personnel.
Jeremy Dempsey: anchored Shaftesbury to U17 victory despite feeling ill
Fourteen different clubs shared the medals from the 18 available and Tonbridge, with three boys’ bronzes, Herne Hill with an under-15 girls’ gold and under-17 women’s girls bronze, and Aldershot with an under-13 boys’ silver and under-17 women’s gold were the only clubs to take more than one team medal.
Lucy Pygott: retained Aldershot’s U17 title
Besides their medals, the athletes were also presented with engraved silver salvers donated by the Amateur Athletics Association.
The first gold medals of the day went to Herne Hill’s under-13 boys after their Jaden Kennedy, the fastest overall with 13:02 for the 3,863m lap, moved them up from 11th to the lead on the second leg. Jacob Harrison, the third quickest, ensured they won by a good margin. His twin brother Ben had run their first stage. Aldershot’s Harry Hyde chased forlornly on the third and final lap and clocked the second best time of 13:11.
Earlier, Zena Saez had taken the opening leg for Bedford with the fourth best time.
Southern under-13 girls champions Poole AC followed the boys home for a 20-second margin over Midland winners
Wreake & Stour Valley. Second-stage runner Emelie Castagna moved them from 24th to 3rd mid-race before Ashia Wilson finished things off. Birchfield had led on the first lap with the quickest time of 13:48 by Amy Harland, but they slipped back to third by the finish.
Jacob Harrison: anchored Herne Hill Harriers to the U13 boys’ title
Next up were the under-15 boys and, after David Dow put them ahead on the second lap, OJ Parmenter held on to give Cambridge & Coleridge a good margin of victory over Leeds and Tonbridge. Once again, it was the opening-stage runner who was quickest as Vale Royal’s Alfie Bould got the better of City of York’s Josh Dickinson, with 12:05, for the same lap run by all of the youngsters. He said: “I didn’t expect to be fastest as I’ve got a bit of a hip injury.”
Ashia Wilson: secured another win for Southern U13 girls champs, Poole AC
Three different clubs were ahead in the under-15 girls’ event. Emily Williams took the opener for Kettering with the fastest time of 13:40 ahead of the next best, 13:49 by Liverpool’s Emma Gordon, before Francesca Harris saw the Merseysiders ahead on the middle lap. Finally, Stephanie Moss brought Macclesfield up from third on the last lap to take the title despite being closed down by Blackheath’s Sophie Hoare.
OJ Parmenter: Secured the U15 boys’ win for Cambridge & Coleridge AC
Last year, Southern champions Shaftesbury took the under-15 boys’ title and, despite all being first years, they moved up to add the under-17 gold with a consistent performance as just 13 seconds covered all three.
Stephanie Moss: moved from third to first on the final U15 girls’ race leg
Thomas Keen led for Cambridge & Coleridge on lap one before James Puxty’s race fastest 11:42 saw Tonbridge ahead, only to lose out on the final loop to Shaftesbury’s Jeremy Dempsey. He said: “I was feeling a bit ill and I’ve had a sore calf but I ran better than I thought.” Arun Dight moved Vale Royal to the silver medal position with the second best time of 11:45.