The Sussex under-13 Track and Field and under-11 Quad Kids Championships are being held at Brighton’s Withdean Stadium on Sunday starting at 11.00am.
The Under 13 athletes are well served in Sussex by the East and West Division League fixtures, across the summer season, as well as the YDL League. However, not all the athletes who have shone in these matches enter the County Championship and some athletes suddenly appear from nowhere as medal challengers.
Last year the 100m, 200m and 1500m were introduced for the first time. Previously the distances at the championships had reflected the league matches 75m and 150m and 1200m. Horsham's Madeleine Way was a silver medallist over 200m and gold medallist over 100m and she is back to defend her title.
Brighton's Dulcie Yelling and Eloise White were first and second in the javelin in 2018 and Yelling also won the inaugural 1500m. They are nationally ranked first and fifth respectively and are both competing. Yelling has since gone on to break the British under-13 girls javelin record with her early season throw of 44.02m.
In the shot put Crawley's Will Thurston is presently ranked fourth in the UK under-13 listings and Brighton's Louis Opoku is fifth for javelin.
For the under-11's there is a QuadKids multi event competition, in which all athletes take part in four events - the 75m sprint, howler throw, standing long jump and a 600m run to end the day. For many of the children, who are in school years 4 and 5, it is their first county competition, and it is the event in which many of the county's present stars first dipped their toes into athletics.
Sussex AA is also delighted to continue its history of hosting wheelchair races. This year the distances will be over 100m and 200m.
It is likely to be a hot day so plenty of water and suncream is advised.