2014
Here's Ken Maggs' update as to how our athletes fared at this year's U15 and U17 England Athletics' Champs.
Our athletes at EA Champs U15 and U17
30/08/2014
Robbie Shaw wins bronze! Having already taken bronze medal at the English Schools in July Robbie warmed up for the competition on Saturday with a massive throw giving him all the confidence in the world. However, it was not until he launched a massive 16.24m putt in the sixth and final round did he move up from fourth to the third medal winning position in the under 17 men's shot putt. His throw during the warm up would have won him the competition but he was still more than happy as he beat both the guys who had beaten him at the English Schools and was the top English thrower on the day.
Robbie now moves onto compete for the England Schools at the UK Schools Championships on Friday of this week. This will be a fantastic experience for Robbie and I am reliably informed that he is looking forward to the challenge. He clearly has ambitions to follow in the footsteps of his coach Geoff Capes.
Also competing on Saturday was Alex Hampson who finished 9th in the under 17 men's 1,500m with a time of 4:12.32
We also had a number of first time competitors at National outdoor Championships, the first of which was the bubbly Rosie Fresen competing in the under 15 pole vault and clearing a creditable 2.50m which gave her 20th place overall. The experience will be vital for Rosie in her target to move the event forward being her first season competing in the pole vault.
Cassey Hilliam finished 9th in her tough under 15 800m heat with a time of 2:23.79 but learning from the experience for the next time.
Alex Pullan made her way through the heats of the under 15 girls 100m with a time marginally slower than her personal best of 12.97 but despite making a better start ran marginally slower in the semi-final finishing 7th in a time of 13.03.
Alex returned on Sunday to compete in the long jump finishing 14th with a jump of 4.94m . She was joined in the under 15 girls long jump by Jasmine Allen who had like Alex qualified for both this and the 200m which was to be run just after the long jump. Jasmine finished in 21st place with 4.61m; both girls found the whole new (valuable) experience just a little bit too much for them but next time it will not be new. Many do not realise that these events are completely different, the warm up area, the call up room and the whole regimented event preparation and the effect it has on a new athlete.
In the 200m heats both Alex and Jasmine finished 6th with times of 26.95 and 26.99 but both girls felt the effects of the long jump immediately prior to this event and realising that it is not easy to compete at this level twice in the same day. However, the benefit of the experience will be invaluable for both and we can all expect to see them at National events in the future.
NVH under 13, under 15 and under 17 athletes are next competition in the final of the Eastern Young Athletes League on Sunday at Basildon after qualifying through the league meetings in 6th place.
Ken Maggs
Robbie now moves onto compete for the England Schools at the UK Schools Championships on Friday of this week. This will be a fantastic experience for Robbie and I am reliably informed that he is looking forward to the challenge. He clearly has ambitions to follow in the footsteps of his coach Geoff Capes.
Also competing on Saturday was Alex Hampson who finished 9th in the under 17 men's 1,500m with a time of 4:12.32
We also had a number of first time competitors at National outdoor Championships, the first of which was the bubbly Rosie Fresen competing in the under 15 pole vault and clearing a creditable 2.50m which gave her 20th place overall. The experience will be vital for Rosie in her target to move the event forward being her first season competing in the pole vault.
Cassey Hilliam finished 9th in her tough under 15 800m heat with a time of 2:23.79 but learning from the experience for the next time.
Alex Pullan made her way through the heats of the under 15 girls 100m with a time marginally slower than her personal best of 12.97 but despite making a better start ran marginally slower in the semi-final finishing 7th in a time of 13.03.
Alex returned on Sunday to compete in the long jump finishing 14th with a jump of 4.94m . She was joined in the under 15 girls long jump by Jasmine Allen who had like Alex qualified for both this and the 200m which was to be run just after the long jump. Jasmine finished in 21st place with 4.61m; both girls found the whole new (valuable) experience just a little bit too much for them but next time it will not be new. Many do not realise that these events are completely different, the warm up area, the call up room and the whole regimented event preparation and the effect it has on a new athlete.
In the 200m heats both Alex and Jasmine finished 6th with times of 26.95 and 26.99 but both girls felt the effects of the long jump immediately prior to this event and realising that it is not easy to compete at this level twice in the same day. However, the benefit of the experience will be invaluable for both and we can all expect to see them at National events in the future.
NVH under 13, under 15 and under 17 athletes are next competition in the final of the Eastern Young Athletes League on Sunday at Basildon after qualifying through the league meetings in 6th place.
Ken Maggs