Ewer Eases to Sprint Double Victory at Midland Indoor Championships
The Midland Indoor Championships held at the NIA in Birmingham across the weekend of 8th & 9th February saw 38 Rugby and Northampton Athletes compete in a range of events bringing home a total of 15 medals, 7 Gold, 2 Silver and 6 Bronze.
Saturday’s competitors saw R&N field 6 Under 13 girls in the Quadrathlon competing across 4 events which consisted of Long Jump, High Jump, 60 metres and Shot Putt. Elizabeth Truslove, Adele Blenkinsopp, Iola Grant, Amelia Tutt, Jasmine Whitham and Victoria Merrey all competed tremendously throughout the day setting numerous personal bests along the way.
The weekends best action took place in the 60 metres and the R&N athletes did not disappoint, Rico Ewer the man of the weekend won the Under 17 category with a time of 7.09 in the final. This was followed by a Bronze for Simone Ager in a time of 7.92 in the Under 17 women’s event. 4th places for Katie Print and Aidan Wardle in the Under 15 girls and Under 15 boys respectively set up what was sure to be a huge weekend for R&N. Ellena Ruddock took silver in the Senior Women’s 200 metres despite being ill in the week before the competition commenced.
Luke Townsend won Gold in the Under 20’s 60 metre hurdles in a time of 8.21 competing alongside club teammates Harry Salt (4th) and Theo Walkley-Bartlett (6th) in a close run final.
Adam Wright produced R&N’s last medal of the day with a breath-taking run in the under 20’s 800 metres with a time of 1.58.27.
Other club athletes competing included Michel Suddaby (U17 400m), Esther Thomas (U17 300m & Triple Jump), Flora Courtney (U17 300m), Laurone Ager (U15 60m) and Peter Currington (Senior Men’s 800m)
Sunday saw yet more awesome action from Rugby and Northampton athletes with a flurry of medals being won on the second day of the championships. Like the day before R&N had under 13’s in the quadrathlon this time the boys. Bradley Whitehead led home the R&N boys picking up bronze ahead of fellow clubmates Alfie Bowers, Cian Hutton and Edward Faulds.
Throughout the day medals continued to come with Lily Carmichael delivering Gold with a time of 2.21.51 to win the under 17’s 800 metres. Elsewhere on the track Adam Wright again produced a fine display to come away with yet another bronze and a time of 51.25 in the under 20’s 400 metres. Aidan Wardle too continued his fine form from the day before only this time to go one better and land bronze in the U15 boys 200 metres with a personal best time of 24.88.
Again on day 2 Rico Ewer and Ellena Ruddock reproduced performances that doubled their weekend medal tallies. Rico won gold with a time of 22.43 in the under 17’s 200 metres and Ellena a time of 7.91 to win silver in the senior women’s 60 metres. In the hurdles Brittany Wood ran solidly to finish 5th in a time of 9.51 in the under 17 womem’s 60 metre hurdles.
Wrapping up the on track medals was Caleb Downes who as expected won the 60 metre under 20 men’s final in a time of 6.95 beating clubmate Clinton George who finished 6th with a time of 7.18.
This however didn’t end the medal tally! Kiona McLennon threw well to a distance of 10.31 to achieve a bronze medal in the shot putt, Simone Ager added to her tally with an impressive 5.07 to win gold in the long jump ahead of clubmate Tia Clues who finished 4th with a jump of 4.78 and Grace Adeyinka capped off a great day to win gold with a jump of 11.50 in the under 20 women’s triple jump.
Other performances on Sunday included Bret Mason (U20 400m), David Brooks (Senior Men 400m), Milan Clues (U15 60mH & Long Jump), Anousha Salehi (U15 60mH), Lottie Isles (U15 High Jump) and Elouise Atichison (U15 High Jump).
A huge well done to all the athletes. A weekend the whole club can be proud of!
