Brighton & Hove and Chichester kept the Sussex flag flying at last weekend Lower Age Group matches in the Youth Development League at various venues throughout the South of England.
It was at Chelmsford in Division E.1 that the Brighton & Hove team notched up their second victory of the season but this was after an afternoon long battle with the home team Chelmsford and the result was in doubt until the closing stages. The Sussex club eventually pulled clear to score 617 points to Chelmsford’s 603 virtually one hundred points clear of next team.
Luke Twigger produced a fine throw of 34.53m to win the U13 javelin event and the Under 13s were particularly strong with Ruby Anning notching up a fine sprint double into a headwind, clocking 10.9s for the 75 metres and 20.5s for the 150m while Haiden May romped clear for a 5:05.8s run in the 1500m.
In W.2 at Bournemouth where both Chichester and Horsham Blue Star, who won the opening match, were in action it was Chichester’s turn to taste victory scoring 546 points to the home club’s 520, Woking’s 495 while the Blue Star’s slipped for fourth with 449 points.
Again it was the Under 13s stealing the limelight with Cleo Tomlinson (Horsham) not only scoring a hat-trick of victories but also breaking a Sussex record on the way.
In the long jump Tomlinson bettered the 17 year old mark of 4.90m by Brighton & Hove’s Lucy Ramsay with a fine leap of 4.96m and she also leapt 1.41m to win the high jump and took the “B” 70m hurdles in 12.3s after club mate Ruby Jerges had won the “A” race in 12.2s.
In the U15 age group club mate Leo Walker also completed a hat-trick winning the shot putt with 10.55m the discus throw with 31.58m and the hammer throw with 34.13m.
In Division W.1 at Kingston Crawley, who had won their opening match in April was squeezed into fourth team spot with 593.5 points just thirty four points adrift of Kingston & Poly’s winning total of 623.
Joe Smith continues to show fine form in the middle distance events and he dominated the U15 800m in 2:08.8s. while Katie Bristowe produced another fine run in the 75m hurdles winning in 11.6s.
There were four Sussex teams involved in SE.2 at Lees but the visiting team from Medway proved too strong for the Lewes club winning with 616 points to the home team’s 541. Worthing’s scored 480 in third place, Hastings were fourth on 461 and East Grinstead fifth on 441 points.
The home club’s Anouska Fairchild threw an excellent 32.35m to win the U13 javelin throw while Harmony Cooper (Hastings) doubled up with an impressive win in the U15 800m in 2:24.9s and then won the 300m in 44.7.
For queries and corrections please EMAIL Reg Hook