The sun shone over Withdean Stadium on Saturday as the county’s future athletics stars came out in force, producing many personal bests and scintillating battles in front of a packed stand. Two Championship records were blown away. UK Under 13 rankings leader, Ella Hannyngton (HBS) glided away from the opposition in the 70m Hurdles to smash the previous best in a time of 11.35 seconds. Meanwhile in a nail biting 800m U13 boys’ race, both gold and silver medallists broke a nine year old CBP with Luke Ellard (WDH) taking honours in the sparkling time of 2:17.28, just a vest width ahead of Thomas Wharton (CRA) who clocked 2:17.66.
The medallists in both the 75m and 150m boys’ races were the same three athletes. Crawley’s Adam Lindo dominated to take gold in both, with times of 9.97s and 19.77 respectively. Tishon Alexander (HHH) was third in the 75m and second in the 150m and Pyers Lockwood (EBR) took home silver and bronze over the two distances. Lindo made it a hat trick of individual titles also winning the Long Jump with a distance of 4.81m and a fourth team relay gold.
Like Adam the aforementioned Miss Hannyngton had a busy afternoon with three individual victories and a relay gold. She also won the High Jump in 1.43m from Crawley’s Abigail Packham - who was the silver medallist in the 70mH- and ran 20.17secs to romp away with the 150m crown, more than half a second in front of Mia O’Hara (EBR) who had earlier run a swift 10.3 over 75m to win from Ruby Anning (B&H) in 10.4.
In the boys 1200m Haiden May (B&H) in 3:47.87 and Dylan Hanslow (CRA) were one and two in the first of two time trials, only to watch Callum Stone (EGR) take total control of the second race not only winning by 13 seconds but taking the title in an excellent time of 3:44.85. Fourteen athletes contested the 1200m girls’ title and it took a fine front run from Eloise Nicoll (PHX) to win in 4.01.21. She was followed in by Lois Dooley, (B&H) and in a gripping 20-metre sprint to the line Pia Lewis (B&H) snatched bronze.
On the field Ben Neale (B&H) launched the javelin to over 30 metres in three of his six trials, taking the title with a best of 33.14m. Peanut Meekings (CRA) was equally dominant in the girls’ competition, which she won with 26.79m. It was double gold for Miss Meekings as she also won the shot with a put of 8.86m.
The U15 boys and U17 Mens 3000m Championships, the Under 11 Boys and Girls QuadKids Championships and an inaugural wheelchair open were all held in conjunction with the Under 13 Championships. In the 3000m Oliver Johnson (PHX) won the U17 race in a time of 9:33.16 and in the U15 race Lewes athlete Ben Martin took gold in 9:44.61.
Forty-seven youngsters contested the boys QuadKids event with Bailey Smith leading throughout. The Worthing athlete won outright three of the four events finishing with a superb points score of 280. Hastings Kyrell Wilson, in his first athletics competition, took silver, scoring 253 points and running the fastest 600m of the day and Ashton Macleod (CRA) and Isaac Obeng (B&H) shared third place just one point behind with 252. In the QuadKids Girls competition Florence Viecelli-Wilcox (CRA) performed well across the board to take gold with a total of 218 points just three ahead of joint silver medallists Ruby Wilson (B&H) and Alicia Macleod (CRA). Gemma Tutton of Lewes was just five behind them in the bronze medal position with 210 points.
Lizzie Williams (WDH) and clubmate Morgan Woods contested the 800m wheelchair race with Lizzie clocking 3:23.53 to Morgan’s 4:46.35.