Bella retains English schools title
As club wins record breaking haul of 6 medals
WADAC returned today from the English schools championships with a record breaking 6 medal haul from the English schools championships at the Alexander Staidium in Birmingam. It was an absolute privilidge to spend the last 2 days watching the 25 WADAC young athlete compete across a rage of events and age groups and see 144 events in total spread over the last 2 days.
Arabella Wilson (coach Andy Fisher) gets star billing for retaining her 300mh inter girl (U17) title joining great names such as Alison Curbishley who did the same thing in 1991 & 1992.
Alex Beck (coach Mark Upton) took silver in the senior boys (U20) 400m in the closest race of the race. Jake Minshull literally throwing himself over the line to pip Alex where there times could only be decided into the thousands of seconds. Abi McBriar (coach Martin McBriar) also won silver in the junior girls (U15) discus with a throw of 32.87m, training partner Beth Mballa (coach Heather Sheffield) was 8th in the same event. Gracie Osman (coach Andy Fisher) also won silver in the junior girls long jump with a new pb of 5.40m.
Will Atkins (coach Nick Anderson) had a weekend to remember. After a tumble in his 1500m heat he went back to pick up his number then cooly made his way back through the field to qualify for the final where he ran a great tactical race to come home 3rd in the inter boys 1500m. Charlie Elford-Pond (coach Eric Davison) was the clubs other medalist coming 3rd in the senior boys hammer.
4th place finishes are never easy to take and no more so than for Erin McBriar (cach Martin McBriar) who saw 2 throws overtake hers in the final round of the inter girls discus. Ned Scott (coach Martin McBriar) however will be delighted with a 4th place finish that saw him throw a huge pb of 48.25m in the junior boys javelin.
Other top 8 finishes went to Jess Howells (coach Andy Fisher) who was 5th in the junior girls javelin, Mia Judd (coach Tony Bateman) who was 8th in the inter girls high jump, Esme Buchanan (coach Andy Fisher) who was 7th in the junior girls high jump and Zac Reynolds (coach Andy Fisher) who was 8th in the final of the junior boys 300m after running the race of his life to win his heat.
Rose Chesterfield (coach Nick Anderson) was 10th in her heat of the senior girls 1500m, Grace Colmer (coach Andy Fisher) had a collision with hurdle 10 in the senior girls sprint hurdles and was therefore a DNF. Amy Wall (coach Andy Fisher) was 12th in the senior girls long jump after a seasons best 5.52m.
Grace Weeks (coach Gary Bettridge) was 6th in her heat of the inter girls sprint hurdles with Rebekah Smith (coach Dave McManus) 4th in her heat with a new pb of 11.85 secs. Elsie Brindle (coach Mark Upton) was 5th in her heat of the inter girls 300m with Chloe Poore (Coach Andy Fisher) 3rd in her heat in a new pb at the same distance for the junior girls and training partner Lily Flute (coach Andy Fisher) was 7th in her heat in the same event. Abi Belward (coach Andy Fisher) was 10th in the inter girls shot putt and Carys Jeffries (coach Andy Fisher) was 9th in the long jump for the same age group.
Poppy Taylor (coach Nick Anderson) was 9th in her heat of the junior girls 800m and Poppy Crook (coach Andy Fisher) unfortunately no heighted in the junior girls high jump.
A superb if slightly chilly championships for the club at a magnificent stadium and the athletes will return home tonight with memories that will last a lifetime.