Eight Sussex teams competed at the SEAA Inter Counties Track and Field Championships at the weekend.
The under 20s and seniors travelled to the event at Oxford on Saturday, whilst it was the turn of the under 15 and 17s on the Sunday.
Highest scoring team across both days were the Sussex under 15 boys coming 1st out of 11 counties who had several athletes in the top 3.
One of these was Zeki Ruso (Worthing) taking gold in the hammer (39.31). Taking, Archie Oates (Crawley) in both the shot put (15.13) and discus (48.16), Milo Hilborne (Crawley) in the pole vault (3.80), Arthur Rogers (Brighton and Hove) in the javelin (48.01) Felix Fowler (Brighton and Hove) in the high jump (1.70) and Otto de Burca (Lewes) in the 200m (25.22).
Louis Ashworth (Brighton and Hove) was 3rd in the 300m (36.72).
The under 15 girls were 6th on the day with Klara Novak Wightman (Brighton and Hove) 1st in the triple jump (10.73) and 3rd in the long jump (5.00) whilst club mates Florence Matten and Alexandra Koloutsos were 2nd in the pole vault (3.30) and joint 2nd in the high jump (1.50). Piper Kelly (Worthing) was 3rd in the hammer (40.95).
With two 1st place finishers, the under 17 Sussex women were 4th overall. Daisy Connor (Eastbourne) winning the 800m (2.13.38) and Jaiten Best (Brighton and Hove) the triple jump (1.63). In 3rd place were Olina Chatfield (Worthing) in the javelin (32.53) and Elodie Hill (Chichester) in the 1500m in 4.52.15.
Highest placing in the under 17 men’s team was Chichester’s Harry Dunne clocking 2.00.03 in the 800m.
Paul Nixon (Crawley) was 3rd in the 400mH (57.04), as was George Armstrong Smith (Eastbourne) in the 1500m (4.02.53) and the team were 8th.
Sussex were not able to field full under 20 and senior teams on the Saturday. Despite this the under 20 women were 5th out of eight counties.
Across both age groups and genders there were six top spots taken.
Under 20s Ava James (Brighton and Hove) winning the women's 1500m in 4.32.34, Sonny Ryder (Brighton and Hove) 1st in the men's 400mH (59.61), Crawley’s Samuel Davis 1st in the men's 800m (1.56.99) and Alice Howie (Worthing) 1st in the women's hammer (52.94). Seniors Joshua Hobbs (Brighton and Hove) 1st in the men's 5K in 15.09.67 and Shannon Hopkins Parry (HYAC) 1st women's 400m (60.98).
Weather conditions appeared to be worse for the under 15 and 17s with torrential rain and wind coming in during the Sunday afternoon.
The sun had shone a bit on the Saturday where the Sussex senior women and the under 20 men were both 6th overall and the senior men 7th.
Placing 2nd were under 20 men Samuel Sprostranov (Crawley) in the 400m (50.31) Gabriel Barnard Seidel (Brighton and Hove) in the hammer (43.57) and Fintan Pearce (Eastbourne) in the 1500m (4.06.83) as well as under 20 women Laila Hellyer (Worthing) in the 5K in 19.33.57 and Caitlyn Spencer (Eastbourne) 3rd in the 200m (26.12).
Finishing 3rd in the senior men included Simon Evans (Worthing) in the hammer (43.58), Joe Van New (Worthing) in the 800m (1.58.71). In the senior women it was Imogen Matthews (HYAC) in the 5K (17.51.38), Amber Purcell (Brighton and Hove) triple jump (11.08) and Jasmine Belshaw javelin (4.32.34).
Well done to all the athletes who took part and thank you to all those who stepped in to team manage across the weekend.