Natalie Purchas drew first blood for Sussex at the English Schools Track and field Championships at Gateshead on Friday.
Equalling her best ever vault of 3.15m, a National standard height, this Burgess Hill Girls Schoolgirl matched the height of Matilda Waters (Manchester) in the Junior (U15) pole vault but took the silver medal on count back behind the British number one, Jade Spencer-Smith (Middlesex) who cleared 3.35m.
Just missing a medal was Harrison Leach (Warden Park) who contested the junior discus throw and reached a national standard distance of 39.48m
In the Intermediate (U17) pole vault Tamsin Campbell (Farlington) soared over 3.35m to finish sixth in the final with a national standard and there was also a sith place for Jonny Haynes (Hazelwick) who threw the senior (U19) hammer 47.58m and another for Scott Staples (Seaford Heath) who threw a national standard of 55.39m in the intermediate javelin throw.
It was a good day for the Sussex sprinters most of whom survived their first rounds and will be fighting again on Saturday.
Anna Short (Brighton College) won her senior 100m heat in 12.30s and was fourth in the semi-final in 12.35s into a 2.6m headwind to make the final while Amy Beswick (Sackville) survived her heat but was squeezed out of a final place in the sf in 12.57s.
Sophie Cunningham (Cavendish) finished third in both heat a semi final of the intermediate 100m to gain a place in the final while Sophie-Anne Haigh (Bishop Luffa) took second place in the 200m in the same age group in 25.83s and will line up in the semi-final on Saturday morning. Orla Brothers (Millais) won her heat of the intermediate 300m in 39.78s and goes into the final as the fastest qualifier.
In the junior sprints Alyssa White is still in the fray having won her junior 100m in 12.51s.
In the junior sprints Alyssa White is still in the fray having won her junior 100m in 12.51s.
Amongst the boys Jake Binns (Durrington) took second place in the intermediate 200m in 22.60m and Cameron Fillery (Brighton College) is through to the final of 100m hurdles having clocked a national standard of 13.11s in second place in his semi-final while Finley Bigg (Shoreham College) finished third in his heat of the 400m in a personal best of 48.74s to reach the final while Sophie Mansfield (Hazelwick) clocked 2:11.88s in fourth place in the senior 800 metres to book a place in the final and Almi Nerurkar (Brighton & Hove High) finished third in 4:44.75s in her junior 1500m in third place to move on to the final.