The Sussex track and field leagues came to a fantastic combined conclusion at an all day event in the sunshine last Sunday.
For the first time ever, the fourth fixture in the under 16 league (formerly under 15) was held alongside the under 14 final (formerly under 13) across a whole day at the K2, Crawley.
It provided the perfect end to an amazing season of county athletics.
Across the summer, twelve clubs have competed in the under 16 league. Each club is awarded points after each fixture depending on where they place with the club on the highest points after the fourth fixture being crowned champions.
Brighton & Hove AC placed first on 47 points with Crawley AC second on 44 and Chichester third on 40.
The under 14 league is run slightly different with the first three fixtures being split in to two divisions where Crawley AC were this year's West winners and Brighton & Hove East. The fourth fixture then becomes an all twelve club finale where Brighton & Hove took the 2026 title scoring 509 to Crawley on 441 and Chichester on 357.
There were many stand out performances in both age groups across the whole day including a pole vault PB of 4.32 for Under 16 Milo Hilborne (Crawley), who is ranked number one in the UK and a PB of 51.25 for Piper Kelly (Worthing) in the Under 16 girls’ hammer which ranks her 5th in the UK.
Crawley’s Adanna Anah (who is ranked 4th in the UK) placed second on the day.
Other notable results were Brighton & Hove’s Monty Rowland’s under 14 boys’ javelin throw of 50.78 (he is ranked number one in the UK) , Crawley’s under 16 boys’ high jumper Oliver Chudy leaping 1.90m, Barnaby Moyes (Brighton & Hove) clocking 2.06.63 in the under 14 boys’ 800m, Isabella Buchanan (HYAC) winning the under 16 girls’ 800m by 18 seconds (2.12.54) and Brighton & Hove’s Florence Matten, who is the number 1 under 16 ranked girl in the UK, pole vaulting 3.30m. Milly Pile (lewes) and Sophia Fitzgerald (Brighton & Hove) also excelled in the under 14 girls' pole vault jumping 3.00 and 2.60 respectively.
The whole event was well supported by officials, volunteers, team managers and parents. At the ed of the day, all remaining teams, paraded down the 100m straight for the final presentation.
Photo Creds - Ian Luxford