Shropshire Track and Field Championships

Shropshire Track and Field Championships.
Records tumbled in perfect weather conditions at the Shropshire Track and Field Championships held at the Telford Stadium. Fian Sweeney from Weston Under Lizard set two new championship best performances as she ran 4.41.8 for the under 17 womens 1500m, improving the previous best set in 2006 by almost ten seconds and the Telford AC athlete also improved the 3000m best by a further 2 seconds. In the under 17  age group Emily Ball from Oswestry added a massive 2 metres to the county best in the shot as she recorded a AAA Grade 1 performance of 13.30, she also won the discus with another Grade 1 performance. 
Danni Langdale from Telford AC set a new championshiop best in the under 17 womens pole vault clearing 3.20m whilst Katie Lambert from Cleobury Mortimer added an incredible 20 metres to the previous best in the hammer as she threw a Grade 1 distance of 51.28m. Spectators and competitors were treated to some really top quality athletics throughout the day but non more than by Adele Nicoll, one of the country's top throwers currently ranked 2nd in the shot and 3rd in the discus in the under age group, set a new county best in the shot  14.51 adding over 2 metres to the previous best and equalling the best in the discus with a throw of 45.34m, the previous best recorded by Nicola Talbot in 1990.

Thomas Telford sprinter Ellis Greatrex set two new marks in the under 15 boys 100m and 200m running 11.6 and 23.6 respectively both Grade 1 performances. Megan Broad gave the school double success as she won the same two sprints in the under 15 girls age group and the long jump. Greg Jones from Wenlock Olympians and a Year 7 student at William Brookes School broke one of the oldest records on the books as he ran 4.52.6 for the under 13 boys 1500m erasing a record that has stood since 1985 when Craig Lamb ran 4.55.

Telford AC's Tobi Watson had a good day as he won the three gold medals in the under 13 boys age group winning the 75m hurdles in 13.4, the long jump with 3.98m and the high jump clearing 1.28m. The Burrows brothers from Broseley collected two gold medals each as they dominated the middle distance races. Alex won the under 17 mens 800 and 1500m in 2.00.9 and 4.19.2 respectively whilst his older brother Josh repeated the feat in the under 20 age group winning in 1.58.2 and 4.22.8. Hayden Finn scored an impressive 100/200 double in the under 17 mens age group in 11.6 and 23.9, whilst Wrekin College's Leo Read collected gold medals in the 100m hurdles,14.2  and high jump 1.75m.

Bridgnorth AC's Molly Andrews ran well to win the under 15 girls 300m in 42.9 and the 800m in 2.24.5, whilst her team mate Lucy Elcock did a similar double in the under 13 age group winning the 200m in 28.9 and the 800m in 2.35.6 as well as helping her club to the 4 x 100m relay title.

The next county championships are the Shropshire Schools Championships to be held at the Telford Stadium on Saturday 14th June, with a full range of events for juniors ( Year 8 and 9 ) intermediates ( Year 10 and 11 ) and seniors ( Year 12 and 13 ). The championships are open to any full time students in Shropshire schools and colleges. For further details contact Paul Sanderson jpsanderson_tac@hotmail.com.

Paul Sanderson