At this year’s England Indoor Age-Group Championships, Sussex AA athletes dominated the women’s and girls’ pole vault, winning the Under 20, Under 17 and Under 15 titles.
In the U15 event, Brighton’s Flo Matten broke the British indoor record with a vault of 3.76m and, with the outdoor season now underway, has her sights set on Lewes AC’s Gemma Tutton’s longstanding outdoor mark of 3.81m. Tutton is a product of the same pathway now driving success across the county.
Pole vaulting in Sussex has been building for over 15 years. In that time, it has been rare for the county not to produce an English Schools’ or national champion or medallist, with athletes consistently featuring across UK age-group top 10 lists. In the new U18 women’s age group, Ava Hayes (Lewes AC) is ranked No.1, with Alice Johnston (Haywards Heath Harriers) at No.3 and Beth Wilson (HYAC) at No.9, depth that reflects how far the talent pipeline now extends.
That success is being driven by a joined-up approach, with coaches from across the county working together, sharing knowledge and creating a clear pathway through the age groups. One of the central hubs is the Sussex Pole Vault Group at Lewes AC, where athletes of all ages train. During the winter months, they use a farmyard barn transformed into a specialist training space.
County President Melanie Anning recently visited the set-up to see that pathway in action. The sessions are packed. More than 60 young athletes take part in multiple training groups each week, with some as young as nine taking their first steps over the bungee. Crucially, the indoor space allows for high-quality technical coaching in dry, warm conditions, while providing a safe environment for young vaulters to progress with confidence.
That ethos has helped produce athletes such as Gemma Tutton, who is now studying and competing at Duke University in the United States. She still holds multiple British age-group records from U13 upwards, is the Senior Women's Sussex record holder, and sits at No.4 on the GB all-time list with a PB of 4.52m set this year.
Gemma’s childhood coach and a key figure behind the county’s sustained success is Rick Pilling, who has dedicated the past 20 years to raising pole vaulting standards in Sussex. He says: "We’ve built something special here, and we want as many young people as possible to benefit. With athletes like Mondo Duplantis, [world record holder], World Indoor Champion Molly Caudrey, and Gemma, more youngsters are being drawn to the event. It’s exciting, and there is real depth of talent here in Sussex."
As the season turns, the group has moved back outdoors, preparing for the summer ahead. With new age groups emerging and standards continuing to rise, the county is not just maintaining its reputation, it is setting the pace. The next wave is already here, and the bar is only going one way.
2025 - Top 10 GB End of Year Rankings for Sussex Athletes:
U20M (3) Braimoh Busari (CRA)
U20W (6) Imogen Clarke (LEW)
U17W (1) Ava Hayes (LEW), (7) Alice Johnston (HHH)
U15B (1) Milo Hilborne (CRA), (3) Bill Scott (LEW), (4) Luca Mindel (LEW), (7) Remy Louis (LEW)
U15G (1) Flo Matten (B&H), (6) Sylvie Ward (LEW)
U13B (2) Jack Matten (B&H), (3) Charlie Carman (WDH), (10) Eddie Pilbeam (LEW)
U13G (1) Milly Pie (LEW), (2) Savannah Crozier (LEW), (=9) Evelyn Zacher & Edith Day-Jones (LEW)