There was a fine first day for the Sussex Schools teams at the English Schools championships at the Stretford area Manchester on Friday.
This also reflected the weather, which was dry comparatively windless and quite warm in the sunshine.
Four medals on the opening day is certainly a good day for Sussex at these championships but Saturday was devoted to the Senior (U19) age group where Sussex was expected to be at its strongest as well as its largest.
Lizzie Korczak from Brighton College became one of only three Sussex athletes to have won four English Schools gold medals when she maintained her unbeaten record for this season throwing 48.47m to win the javelin throw. It is certain that had last year’s Championships not been cancelled because of the pandemic this would have been her fifth gold medal.
There were two silver medals with Priory pole vaulter Ivy Spencer soaring over a personal best of 3.60m to squeeze inside the Sussex Top ten of all time with Natasha Clarke (Vardean) placing fifth clearing 3.35m.
Ardingly’s Timi Essan in the 200 metres had a brilliant 21.96s in his heat but I have been unable to verify his time for second place in the final.
There was also a brilliant bronze medal for the very much in form Harriett Bloor (Hailsham). She chopped four seconds off her previous best in the 3000m in 9:42.04s.
There was several other Pbs and final (Top eight placing) although in some case the final positions were based on times of two races.
Pyers Lockwood (Bexhill College) filled fifth place in the 400m hurdles event in 57.22s while Ruby Jerges (Brighton College) leap 5.60m for fifth place in the long jump and Dillon Tierney (Collyers) cleared a Pb of 4.10m for seventh place in the pole vault with Sackville’s Cameron Wells clearing 3.90m for eighth place.
In the 400m, after a fine 49.50s second place in his heat Jamie McCullough (Ardingly) clocked 50.64s for eighth place in the final placings.
Unfortunately, some of Friday’s results are still not available but we will try to do a complete update of Sussex finalists later in the week
Today Sussex have already got another silver medallist through Rachael Wall (Brighton Girls school) in the Intermediate (U17) javelin throw which was won by Sussex County champion, Jemima Caldwell who goes to school in Surrey.