Progress drawing closer after another excellent set of results
Rugby & Northampton Athletic Club’s upper-age athletes are on the verge of qualification for the national finals of the Youth Development League following a very successful display in Sunday’s third round at Yate.
R&N finished second on the day behind Birchfield Harriers to tighten their grip on second spot in the overall team standings with a comfortable lead over third-placed Team Avon and only one Midland Premier 1 event still to go.
Jonjo Fanning was a double winner for the men’s under-20 squad as he picked up impressive victories in the hammer B throw with a distance of 36.30m and javelin B with 34.72m.
Clinton Osoba-George also registered a victory for the under-20s with his time of 22.25 seing him cross the line first in the 200m B race, while there were further wins in the 110m hurdles A for Luke Townsend (14.89) and 3000m A for Elisha De Mello (9:21.59).
R&N’s other individual points for the under-20 men'[s team came from Rico Ewer (fourth in 100m A as an under-17 runner, 11.38), Osoba-George (second in 100m B, 11.09), Ciaran Wardle (second in 200m A, 22.01), Adam Wright (third in 400m B, 50.8), Oliver Munns (third in 400m B, 56.2; fifth in 800m A, 2:12.54), De Mello (fourth in 800m B, 2:22.70), Josh Coles (fourth in 1500m A, 4:19.48), Ed Wise (fourth in 1500m B, 4:37.22), Jack Murphy (second in 3000m B, 10:16.02; second in 2000m steeplechase A, 7:33.37), Harry Salt (second in 110m hurdles B, 16.92; fourth in long jump B, 5.41m), Townsend (third in 400m A, 65.92; third in javelin A, 38.40m; fourth in shot put A, 10.76m), Tom Rowlatt (fifth in discus A as an under-17 thrower, 23.55m), Nick Scales (second in discus B,
23.03; second in hammer A, 39.56; third in shot put B, 9.13m), Sam Kholgali (third in long jump A, 6.56m; sixth in high jump A, 1.60m), and Giorgio Saroli (fifth in high jump B as an under-17 jumper, 1.60m).
The age group’s 4x400m relay team of De Mello, Osoba-George, Josh Coles and Adam Wright came second with a time of 3:32.98.
Paddy Price, Ben Musgrove and Zachary Stapleton were R&N’s victorious athletes in the men’s under-17 events.
Stapleton posted a time of 11.40 to win the 100m A race, Musgrove came first in the 3000m B with 9:42.69, while Price’s personal best throw of 49.54m was enough for him to win the hammer by almost nine metres from his nearest challenger.
It was a good day for the club’s under-17 men with other valuable contributions coming from Tom Cheyne (second in 100m B, 11.64), Zachary Stapleton (second in 200m A, 22.63), Giorgio Saroli (sixth in 200m B, 25.03), Kyran Wilson (sixth in 400m A, 54.2; third in 800m A, 2:03.11; fourth in high jump, 1.50m), Tom Rowlatt (fifth in 400m B, 57.7; fifth in triple jump, 10.76m), Jack Bond (fourth in 1500m A, 4:25.15; third in 3000m A, 9:09.54), Jonjo Fanning (third in 100m hurdles A, 19.27), Connor Aldridge (second in 400m hurdles A, 58.24), Ben Musgrove (second in 400m hurdles B, 76.93; third in 1500m steeplechase A, 5:11.94), Luca Franchi (second in discus, 36.21m; sixth in shot put, 8.78m), Lewis Ogden (third in javelin, 35.33m), and the 4x400m relay team of Wilson, Rowlatt, Franchi and Cheyne who came fourth in 3:51.09.
Katie Clubb put in some stand-out performances for the club’s under-20 women’s squad with three individual event victories. Her time of 2:28.69 saw her claim first place in the 800m B race, a feat she added to with wins in 400m hurdles B (72.10) and 1500m steeplechase A (5:51.5).
Sarah Bennett was also a winner for the age group, taking the 3000m A honours in 11:41.92, with first places also coming from Megan Moran in javelin A (35.93m), Megan Exley in javelin B (32.61m) and Eleanor Broome in long jump A (5.60m).
Added to those wins were points-scoring performances for the under-20 women’s team by Zoe Styles (second in 100m A, 12.91; fourth in 200m A, 25.94), Eleanor Broome (second in 100m B, 13.02), Ella Forsyth (fourth in 200m B, 27.22), Natalie Goddard (fifth in 400m B, 67.06), Tilly Lea (second in 800m A, 2:33.72), Sarah Bennett (second in 1500m A, 5:47.38), Hannah Scales (fourth in 400m hurdles A, 72.76), Harriet Sumnall (third in discus A, 28.76m; fourth in hammer B, 19.12m; fourth in shot put B, 7.32m), Gemma Scales (second in discus B, 27.49m; fourth in hammer A, 21.11m), Grace Adeyinka (fourth in shot put A, 9.87m; second in triple jump B, 9.18m), Tia Clues (second in long jump B, 4.95m), Georgina Greenwood (second in triple jump A, 10.40m; joint-fourth in high jump A, 1.35m), Megan Exley (joint second in high jump B, 1.30m), and the 4x100m relay team of Broome, Styles, Forsyth and Simone Ager who came second in 48.46.
In the under-17 women’s events, Kirsty Goddard was a double winner – taking first place in the 3000m A race with a time of 10:42.24 and the 1500m steeplechase A in 5:37.1, with comfortable gaps in both runs ahead of the athletes who came second.
Hannah Shepherd was R&N’s other individual winner for the age group with her leap of 10.34m being enough to give her victory in the triple jump.
Other individual points for the under-17 women’s team came from Simone Ager (fourth in 100m A, 13.05; third in 200m A, 26.43; fifth in long jump, 4.11m), Dahlia Folwell (third in 100m B, 13.36, third in high jump, 1.40m), Tia Clues (third in 100m B, 27.97), Laura Simpson (fourth in 300m A, 44.82; third in 300m hurdles A, 48.51), Flora Courtney (fourth in 7800m A, 2:44.90; second in 300m hurdles B, 52.28), Rhian Williams (second in 800m B, 3:08.56; third in 3000m B, 14:56.83), Emma Bond (second in 1500m A, 4:56.62), Brittany Wood (third in 80m hurdles A, 12.96; fourth in shot put, 8.53m), Hannah Shepherd (second in 80m hurdles B, 13.28), and Evie Harris- Jenkins (third in discus, 18.54m; third in hammer, 26.87m; second in javelin, 33.90m).
The age group’s two relay teams both finished third – the 4×100 quartet of Folwell, Clues, Wood and Rachel George in 51.6; and the 4x300m group of Simpson, Clues, Goddard and Shepherd in 3:06.00.
The final round of Midlands Premier 1 events is at Swansea Harriers on Sunday 27th July where finishing fifth or above will confirm qualification for the national finals. They can win the division by finishing two places clear of Birchfield Harriers.
Elsewhere, several young R&N athletes were given the chance to showcase their abilities at the weekend’s British Athletics Championships in Birmingham with a series of events for Midlands-based clubs.
It kicked-off with a mixed relay race that was broadcast live around the Alexander Stadium on the giant screens, giving runners the real ‘big race’ experience as the cameras panned from lane to lane, showing each competitor to the crowd.
R&N’s under-13 team of Bradley Whitehead, Adele Blenkinsop, Alfie Bowers and Elizabeth Truslove came third, while the under-15 group – Adam Williamson, Laurone Ager, Sam Tutt and Katie Print – finished fourth but were unfortunately disqualified for a late changeover.
Both age groups then entered into an agility competition containing events such as standing long and triple jumps, 30m sprints and a variety of throws.
They were supported well and worked together, so much so that R&N won both age categories and were presented with a Team GB vest, signed by many of the senior athletes including world 60m champion Richard Kilty.
