There were four gold medals and three Sussex records at Bedford over the weekend at the England U20 and U23 championships. After which a fantastic five Sussex athletes were selected to represent Great Britain in the upcoming European under 23 and under 20 Championships in Sweden in July.
Brighton & Hove’s Amber Anning was again in record breaking form as she swept to a convincing victory in the U20 400 metres event in 52.54s to break her own Sussex U20 and senior record and confirm her place in the Great Britain team for the European U20 championships in Boras, Sweden from 18th -21st July. Anning’s time was nearly half a second faster than the winner of the U23 championship and she is presently the European u20 number 1.
Toby Harries (Brighton Phoenix) was the other Sussex record breaker as he confirmed his fitness as he returned after a year side-lined with injury. Running in the U23 200m he was squeezed into second place by Shemar Boldizar from Harlow in 20.65s. Harries clocked 20.75s breaking his own Sussex senior record and earning selection to the European under 23 Championship in Gavle, Sweden. He is the reigning under 20 champion over 200m from 2017.
Ben Hawkes (Worthing) was also a winner and record breaker in the U20 age group as he set a personal best and new Sussex U20 hammer record throw of 73.15m. He will be joining Anning on the plane to Boras.
The two other gold medals came in the U23 events with Cameron Fillery from Saltdean winning the 110m hurdles in 13.96s and Spencer Thomas beating fellow Phoenix runner George Mills to take the 800 metres crown in 1:47.31s to 1:48.70s. Fillery and Thomas booked their seats alongside Harries, to Gavle.
There was another second place for Eastbourne’s Daniel-James Thomas in the U20 shot put with an effort of 18.13m while Archie Davis (Phoenix) took the bronze medal in the U23 1500m in 3:51.51s and Leah Harris (Worthing) taking fourth place in the U23 5,000m with a pb of 17:32.38s. Also in the U23 age group Crawley athletes George Turner and Lillie Franks placed well with Turner clearing 5.00m for fifth place in the pole vault and Franks placing sixth in the high jump clearing 1.72m.
In the U20 age group Jessica Lambert (Crawley) clocked 61.29s to place fourth in the 400m hurdles and Grace Vans Agnew was sixth in 63.95s. Whilst their clubmate Jamie Lambert reached the final of the of the men’s 400m hurdles placing seventh in 55.33s and Moyo Sargent (Eastbourne) also placed seventh in the flat 400m in a personal best of 48.87s.
Schools Combined Events
Meanwhile over a busy weekend, three athletes were representing Sussex in the English Schools' South East regional Combined Events Championship in Basingstoke.
Worthing’s Eli Middleton was sixth overall in the senior girl’s heptathlon, Intermediate girl, Isabelle Humphreys (Crawley) came seventh and team mate Jabar Busari was 16th in the junior boys.
All three came away with PBs under their belts. These included Isabelle's 12.24s in the 80mH, a 9.98m shot put, 22.21m javelin and 27.88s 200m; Jabar 1.60m high jump, 5.33m long jump and 12.43s in the 80mH and Eli’s 17.99s 100mH.