Rugby & Northampton Athletics U13 and U15 team competed in the UK Youth Development League at Milton Keynes, knowing that another team victory would all but assure a place in a regional finals and they rose to the challenge, winning by over 160 points.
The days started with some outstanding displays of technical hurdling through Zak Thorpe, Sonny Briggs, Ava Hession, Jacob Vural, Rhys Owen, Isabella Banks and Grace McCollin, sweeping all before them. This theme continued throughout the day as the sprinters dominated proceeding with victories for Savannah Morgan, Olivia Monk, Ella Darby, Ernest Kisel, Robbie Dale, Nigel Nicieja and Harrison Nash. The endurance runners also did extremely well with a whole raft of personal bests.
It was in the field, however, where R & N really shone ! In the jumps, there were victories for Zak Thorpe and Ella Darby whilst the throwers dominated proceedings with one victory after another. The throwing team was made up of Monty Lee, Moyo Stumpenhusen, Nate Tilt, Josh Mozely, Louis Clark, Zak Thorpe, Devon Edwards, Charlie Cook, Martha Pollard, Alice Berril, Bella Deamer and Lois Pollard. Out of a possible 24 individual victories in the A and B events, the R & N athletes won no less than 20 of the events – a truly unbelievable performance.
The day ended with the relays and the sprinters again produced. The U13 boys scorched to an incredible 53. 8 seconds in the 4 x 100m, winning by 30 metres, a feat reproduced by both the U15 4 x 300m teams. The 4 x 100m U15 girls ran 49, 56 seconds – the second quickest time in the country this year – a few hundredths behind their own leading time. It was the boys 4 x 100m team that stole the show, however. The boys had a fumbled change over and dropped the baton. After a couple of seconds delay, they picked up the baton, started to catch up and unbelievably still finished with a breath-taking victory.
This victory leaves R & N at the top of the leader board with the third and final event taking place in Solihull on Sunday 3rd July
