Some 450 athletes, mainly from Sussex, have entered the final Track and Field meeting to be held in the 2020 season, on Sunday at the Wave Leisure Centre at Lewes.
Because of Covid-19 the 2020 Track season, which should have finished in a flurry with the Tokyo Olympic Games, did not exist and only major efforts by Gavin Stephens and Worthing & District Harriers and the Sussex County A.A, mainly through Melanie Anning, Kate Matthews and Peter Kennedy, have enabled Open athletics to be held, rather late, this season.
To show that 2020 will not go down without a Championships the Sussex 3000m event for both sexes and all ages will complete Sunday’s meeting.
Because of the tragic death of former County Treasurer and announcer, Martin Etchells the event is being named the “Martin Etchells Track and Field Challenge” and athletes and officials have made a fine response.
Officials have been particularly responsive to the fact that they can turn out and officiate and pay tribute to Martin at the same time.
Many athletes will have already closed their season down but newly crowned World W50 high jump record holder Julia Machin (Brighton & Hove) has entered to compete in both the Long and High jump events and in the latter she will meet current Sussex number one Lillie Franks (Crawley).
In the senior 3000m championship a trio of Brighton & Hove runners, Tom Niner, Kevin Moore and Jamie Knapp, look set to battle it out for the medals with Brighton Phoenix’ Reuben Hoyte while Reuben’s Mum, Caroline (Arena 80) who is now in the W40 age group could well take the senior women’s title.
The meeting starts at 10AM and is scheduled to finish by 5PM but unfortunately, because of COVID spectators will not be allowed to watch.