There was a quartet of medals for Sussex Masters at last weekend’s World and British championships at Korea and Gravesend.
In Korea Steyning’s Ian Richards lost his World’s M65 3000m walking championship to Mexico’s Jose Lui Camarena who also took his World Record when clocking 14:19.92s to the Steyning walker’s 15:00.69s for the silver medal.
At Gravesend’s Cyclopark where the BMAF 10km road championships were held. Brighton & Hove’s John Lowden took the gold medal in the M60 race stormed to victory in 37:50s while club mate Howard Bristow took the silver medal in the M40 race in a nippy 32:40s, a time that would have placed him high up the field in the Brighton Marathon 10km.
Horsham Jogger’s Val Purnell also picked up a silver medal in the W55 age group where she clocked 48:30s.
Diamond Anniversary Crawley Open Meeting.
Several Sussex youngsters took advantage of the good early season conditions to gain English Schools standards in the Open meeting at K2 on Saturday where the Crawley Club were celebrating their 60th Anniversary.
Worthing hammer thrower Ben Hawkes, who is in the U17 age group won his event throwing a National Standard with 68.09m and another National standard came in the Girls U17 hammer event when Crawley’s Vicki Pellett threw 45.18 for an Entry Standard while Horsham’s Cleo Tomlinson gained an Entry standard in the U15 high jump clearing 1.58m.
The promoting club’s Abigail Packham, clocked 11.63s to gain the entry standard in the U15 75m-hurdles while javelin throwers Scott Staples (Lewes) in the U20 age group threw 55.15m and U15 Ivo Pitts (Crawley) reached 46.05m in his age group for Entry standards.
Eastbourne’s Bailey Wright, despite the wind, did a sprint double with Entry standards in both 100 and 200m U17 races in 11.12s, and 22.68s.
Another U17, Brighton & Hove’s Amber Anning clocked a personal best of 57.53s in the U20 400 metres, which was an entry standard for the U20 age group but she will have to race over 300 metres at English Schools.
Southern Athletics League:
There is an early start to the League season on Saturday when Sussex teams are spread far and wide in the first round of the Southern Athletics League.
In Division One Crawley travel to Woking while in Division 2W Brighton & Hove are off to Oxford and Eastbourne in Division 2E Eastbourne are at Thurrock.
In Division 3 SW. Chichester will be competing at Poole and in the same Division Worthing will be in action at Winchester.
The rest of the Sussex teams will be in Division 3SE in a double match at Hastings with Hastings in one match but Horsham, Lewes/Haywards Heath and East Grinstead will face each other in the other match.
Team results from these matches are not usually available for several days unless team managers let me know.
If you have any queries or want more information regarding this post, please Email Reg Hook.