Mia wins National indoor title
Mia Judd (coach Tony Bateman) took the National indoor HJ U17W title in Sheffield yesterday. Mia had the performance of her life jumping a lifetime best of 1.71m to take the national title breaking the club record in the process. Superbly prepared for the event by coach Tony, Mia cleared 1.68m at the 3rd time of asking to secure a medal and then went over 1.71m with her 2nd jump to take gold. Mia's new lifetime best is not only the highest ever jump by a female in a WADAC vest but is just 3cm off the standard for selection for the England team for the commonwealth youth games in Trinidad in August.Alex Beck (coach Mark Upton) also had a championship to remember as he went sub 49 secs indoors to run 48.75 secs on Saturday breaking his own indoor club record in his U20M 400m heat. Alex then qualified for the final later that day finishing 4th in his semi-final to book a fastest losers place. Whilst Alex didn't take his place in yesterday's final, he continues to go from strength to strength under coach Mark's tutelage and his new club record is just .55 outside the 400m standard for the commonwealth youth games and this is on an indoor track!Mia's gold medal wasn't the only medal of the championships as the clubs athletes brought home an astonishing 4 medals in total. Gracie Osman (coach Andy Fisher) won bronze in the U15G long jump on Saturday with a leap of 5.29m. This doesn't tell the whole story as Gracie had her 3rd place snatched from her in the 6th and final round only to respond with her own last round clutch jump to win back 3rd place and earn her visit to the Sheffield podium. Earlier on Saturday, Tabith Williamson (coach Andy Fisher) ran 7.97 in the 60m to qualify for the semi-finals where she bowed out and Rohan Gray (coach Mark Upton) set a new pb in his 60m heat running 7.22 secs. Amy Wall (coach Andy Fisher) finished an excellent 7th in the U20 womens long jump with a seasons best leap of 5.39m. Zac Reynolds (coach Andy Fisher) produced a new pb and age group club indoor record to qualify for Sunday's U15B 300m final. Also qualifying for the U15G 300m final were Lucia Bertacchini (coach Andy Fisher) and Lily Flute (coach Andy Fisher) both recording new pb's in doing so. Beth Mballa (coach Heather Sheffield) and Abi Belward (coach Andy Fisher) was the last to compete for the club on Saturday and finished 6th & 11th in the U15G & U17W shot putt respectively.The two U15 300m finals were the track highlight for the club on the Sunday. In the girls race, Lily Flute finished 6th but can be content with a new pb with day before and the fact she will return in the same age group next year. Lucia Bertacchini ran a superb race to win a silver medal on the day, smashing her own age group club record with a rapid time of 41.28 secs. The boys race followed an hour or so later and Zac Reynolds powered down the home straight to win bronze again in a new pb of 38.80 secs and another age group indoor club record. Elsewhere on Sunday Rebekah Smith (coach Andy Fisher) equalled her pb of 9.13 secs in reaching the semi-finals of the U17W hurdles where Abi Belward had run a new pb in her heat. Lucia & Lily also ran in the U15G 60mh heats but we can forgive them for their performances which had come immediately after the 300m final. Gracie Osman broke the clubs age group 200m record with a time of 26.49 secs in her U15G 200m heat before bowing out in the semi finals.Just reaching the standard to get to these championships is an amazing effort so the fact that 12 young athletes from the club made the trip to Sheffield is a fantastic achievment made even more remarkable by the fact that the club has returned with 4 medals in an event which for young athletes is undoubtedly the highlight of the indoor season.