Minithon Lee Valley London
Minithon
nWinchester & District Athletic Club (WADAC) made a decision to organise transport for a trip to north- west London to Lee Valley Athletic Centre to the Indoor track facility. The competition that attracted this decision was a “Minithon” for children in school years 3-7 in which they could compete in 3 events choosing from Long Jump: 60m : Vertical Jump(Y3) : High Jump (Y6-7); 60m Hurdles : 200m : Shot Put: Turbo Javelin : 600m. Results are based upon a performance points basis.
n
nThe Athletics Centre is an impressive sight especially for young athletes who have never competed indoors before. There is a 200m Indoor track which has a large seating area which allows for great crowd support. There is a separate warm up track which the athletes can take advantage of prior to competition.
n
nThe WADAC youngsters when they arrived were excited to learn that an international athlete would be arriving to give out certificates and medals and they would have an opportunity to have their photo taken with that international and get their autograph. That celebrity turned out to be World & Olympic medallist Asha Philip. Most of the youngsters queued up for a chance to meet Asha and later had the benefit of Asha telling the crowd of her early experience of coming into Athletics and her advice to aspiring young athletes.
n
nOscar Webb is an athlete who the club have great hopes for in the future. He is currently ranked in the top 3 in the Under 13 boys in the UK for High Jump. He jumped 1/40m at lee Valley but he has already jumped 1.50m this season. Oscar also Long Jumped an impressive 4m.20 and ran 60m in 9.2. This gave him 7th place overall on the points system in the Boys (Y6-7) category out of the 52 athletes taking part. Musa Sanyang also impressed in 14th position, he long jumped 3.68m, ran 60m in 9.3 and 200m in 30.8. Also competing for WADAC in the boys (Y6-7) were Sammy Fallace 26th : Ben Hawke 28th : Oliver Gittins joint 31st : Matthew Anderson 38th : Dylan Mathers 40th : Charlie White 47th ; Ian Brien 52nd.
n
nThe Girls (Y6-7) category was very competitive with 77 athletes involved. Best placed WADAC girsl was the very good all rounder Jess Marinus in equal 22nd position, she long jumped 3.62m, ran 60m in 10.0 and the 200m in 33.4. In equal 34th was Amy Porter who had a consistent series of Long Jump 3.26m 60m 9.6 and the longer race of 600m in 2m.03. Other WADAC performances- joint 38th Martha Harris; 42nd Grace James : 46th Isabel Ord : joint 51st Imogen Grey ; 58th Kate Derbyshire : 59th Addie Thomas : 60th Elisa De Liberali : joint 61st Emily Hoad & Maya Gazzard; 63rd Lucy Thomson : 75th Erin McBriar(2 events completed).
n
nJake Chapman ran a personal best of 2.00 in the 600m and also ran the 200m in 32.8 and long jumped 2.76m. This gave Jake joint 29th position in the Boys (Y4-5) category for best placed WADAC performance. Ethan Skipwith had a really good Long Jump of 3.34m plus a 200m in 32.9 and 600m in 2.18 to finish 33rd. Other Boys Y4-5 results, Felix Bowyer 36th: Billy Oxley 40th: Bradley Lewis joint 45th: Josh Cox 47th: Isaac Ferguson 55th : Oliver Fallace 56th: Oscar Robertson 62nd ; Dougie Hide 65th : Archie Sleeth 66th ; Jonah Mathers 69th: Henry Anderson 71st.
n
nIn the Girls (Y4-5) group top placed WADAC girl was Nyima Sanyang in joint 22nd. Nyima Long jumped an impressive 3.57m plus ran 60m in 10.3 and 200m in 36.7. Emily Phillips was joint 28th with a 60m 10.5: 600m 2.19 and 200m 36.6 series of runs. Other WADAC Isobel Jordan 44th : Poppy Taylor joint 46th ; Amelie Gill joint 50th ; Abi McBriar 61st : Isabella Hastie 62nd ; Millie Hardcastle 67th.
n
nThere were a few school year 3 athletes taking part and WADAC had Elodie Gill competing and she ran 60m in 11.0, 600m in 2.25 and 200m in 39.4.
n
nAlso appearing at the event was a former GB International and Olympic athlete Dwain Chambers as athletes from his Performance Academy were competing. A challenge was made any fathers to race Dwain over a one lap 200m race. A large group gathered hoping to beat the former world class sprinter over 200m with only one managing to do this feat. The event providing much enjoyment to the appreciative crowd.
n
nThe Minithon was enjoyed equally by athletes and parents and the positive feedback received hopefully means WADAC will support future Minithon competitions at Lee Valley.