ATHLETICS: Ipswich Harriers Under-17 girls and boys put on their track and field performance of the season in the Eastern Young Athletes league at Woodside, Watford.

ATHLETICS

IPSWICH Harriers Under-17 girls and boys put on their track and field performance of the season in the Eastern Young Athletes league at Woodside, Watford.

Team managers Kim Beckett for the girls and Garfield Hunt for the boys were impressed with the turnout. In every event the youngsters worked their socks off, taking numerous first places and gaining individual personal bests along the way.

It was always going to be tight between Watford and Ipswich but the home club won the day by 18 points. Had Ipswich been able to turn out some middle distance runners they would have had the meeting in the bag.

A massive points total of 324 for Ipswich came because of the dedicated commitment from those that took part. Watford scored 342, Southend 254.5 and Herts Phoenix 196.5.

For the final match in this league if the turnout is the same or larger, Ipswich should find themselves in the top six final for the first time in several years.

The U-17 girls had the most amazing meeting, scoring 14 first places with several taking first places from their allowable three events.

Louise Morgan won the 100m, 200m and long jump, Sarah Morris, hurdles, 100m and 200m, Katie Brinkley, high jump, 300m and hurdles and Sabrina Powell, shot with a pb of 6.99m, javelin and discus.

Hannah Arbon won the discus and Helen McGrath the javelin with a pb of 13.88m. Arbon also ran an 800m when she finished third with a pb of 2.56.6 and did the 1500m for her pb of 5.37.9.

From the U-17 boys, De'Onte Green, who moved up an age group for the day, won both the long jump and 200m with a pb of 23.8. Sean Foster added first places in the 200m and 400m and Ben Hanley took wins from the long jump and triple jump with a best of 10.84m.

Chris Bullard won the shot and had a pb in the high jump with 1.62m when he finished second and Phil Ormston won the hurdles.

Pbs went to Rob Jarvis in the hurdles with 17.6, Kevin Churchyard, discus 23.13m and Luke Farris in the triple jump added over two metres to his previous best with 11.01m and in the long jump had another best of 4.98m.

There were nine firsts in the U-15 girls, Nicole Sadler 100 and 200m, Emily Beckett, 100 and 200m, Lana Rogers hurdles, Kerry Fuller, discus with a huge pb of 19.94m, Natasha Downes 800m and Chantelle Edwards, high jump.

In the 800m, Becky Wellbourn finished in second place lowering her best time to 2.35.8. There was much success from the U-15 boys. Duncan Macrosson not only had a personal best in three events but also won them. In the 100m he ran 12.4, in the 200m 24.9 and in the long jump added 33cm to his best which now stands at 5.36m.

Matt Byam added a win in the 200 in a best time of 25.3. Other winners are Levi Hunt, 400m, Ramone Kersey, 100m and in the javelin with maximum points for the club James Hicks had a pb throw of 29.09. Grant Perkins had a pb of 28.64.

Craig Nunn, in his first meeting, ran the 100m and 200m non-scoring races in 14.1 and 29.1 respectively. In the U-13 boys there were wins for Louis Jones in the 200m and Tom McCarthy in the high jump. Pbs went to Nathan Hanley in the long jump, 4.53, Jack Hollis, 400m, 75.7, Kieron Wooby, 200m in 28.6. 100m in 13.7, and the 400m in 65.9; Tom Dawes, 100m, 15.1 and Jones, a long jump of 4.23m.

Jenny Higgins in the U-13 girls won both the 100 and 200m and was second in the high jump with a pb of 1m.25. Chesney Webb had a pb of 4.05m in the shot and Lois Rutter ran the 200m in 32.1.