There were two gold medals, two silvers and two bronzes for Sussex athletes in the South of England U17/U15 indoor championships at the weekend. It was Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove) who really caught the limelight in her first season in the U17 age group. Anning romped to a clear victory in the 200m in 24.93s which is pretty nifty around the tight indoor bends. Anning also picked up a silver medal in the Triple jump bounding to 11.59m, both efforts just short of her outdoor personal bests.
In the U15 800m Maia Hardman (Brighton Phoenix) was a run-a-way winner in 2:23.62s while Joseph Massimo (Crawley), who lives over the border in Surrey was a most impressive U17 200m winner in 22.46s. On her final attempt Crawley's Lauren Lethbridge leapt to 5.08m in the U15 girls' long jump to secure a silver medal behind Herne Hill's Ore Adamson's 5.51m.
Crawley athletes Anold Perana picked up a bronze medal with 2:25.92s in the U15 800m. There was another bronze in the pole vault event when Jack Harris (Lewes) cleared 3.60m in the boys U17 event and club mate Bill Saunders cleared the same height to just miss a medal in fourth place. Crawley's Natasha Purchas who, with 3.10 in the U17W pole vault, shared the same height as the third placed athlete, also missed a medal on countback. Also just missing a podium place in fourth were Tom Eames (Brighton & Hove) U17 800m in 2:02.32s, a race that was won by Colchester’s Jake Young, who is the grandson of former Sussex and Brighton & Hove star sprinter Derek, and in the U15 age group Moyo Daramola (Eastbourne) with 41.85s in the 300m, club mate Calysta Morris in the long jump with 4.89m and another Brighton & Hove athlete, Alex Dyball in the long jump with 5.15m.
National U20/Senior Combined events.
Up at the National Combined events championships at Sheffield Elise Lovell (Hastings) set a personal best total of 3743 point for fifth place in the senior Pentathlon. After an 8.73s pb hurdles, and 1.60m high jump she followed with a below par of 9.56m shot. She recovered well with 5.78m long and 2.25.07m to score a pb of 3743 in 5th place.
Longhill School teacher Leanne Buxton, who is now a veteran, ran 9.19s hurdles,1.48m high then 10.84m shot, 5.38m long and 2:30.13s 800 for a total of 3411 in a very creditable 10th place and Becky Owen wearing new colours after a move from Crawley to Brighton did 9.58s,1.66m, 10.35m 4.86m, 2.36.00s for 3292 for 13th but this also earnt her Welsh championship.
Surrey’s Jo Rowland who competes in Crawley colours came 3rd looking more like her old self after a 2015 marred by injury. Her score of 3981 included a good 1.69m high and 12.87m shot
Beth Crocker (Crawley) had to withdraw from the U20 Pentathlon after three events with a calf injury but Brighton & Hove’s Katie Garland just missed a medal with 9.14/60H,1.66 high jump, 9.38 shot, 5.64 long jump at which point she lay in 3rd place however an 800 of 2.37.13 saw her drop to 5th place 3523 points.
British Milers Club There were also B.M.C races at Sheffield and Brighton Phoenix’s Rob Fitzgibbon and U20 runner Archie Davies filled the first two places in the A 1500m in 3:48.03 and 3:50.47 respectively.
Other good runs from Phoenix athletes in the 800m came from Dan Stepney and Finley Bigg who clocked 1:53.85s and 1:54.60s and Sophie Mansfield with 2:21.20s while Brighton & Hove’s Iain Crowe-Wright clocked 8:44.72s for the 3,000 metres.
Edinburgh Competing for the Great Britain team in the 4 x 1km relay at the Great Edinburgh Cross-country event on Saturday Charlie Grice (Phoenix) helped his team into second place behind Scotland.
Running the opening leg he was beaten by the Scots runner Cameron Boyek, who clocked 2:43s, on a mad dash to the finish with three athletes, including Grice sweeping across the takeover line in 3:44s.