Athletics correspondent CARL MARSTON highlights some terrific results for Suffolk athletes at the English U-23/U-20 Champs and Anglian Schools Champs
It has been a good last week for the current crop of Suffolk’s young athletes, both on the regional and national scene.
On Saturday, Suffolk tasted victory at the annual Anglian Schools Track & Field Championships, held on the University of East Anglia track in Norwich, finishing ahead of rivals Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.
And a little further from home, a select few Suffolk athletes were in action at the Under-20/Under-23 English National Championships, held at Bedford.
Emily Moyes, a member of West Suffolk AC, struck gold in the U-23 women’s 5,000m. Moyes stormed to victory in a big personal best of 16mins 30.99secs, finishing ahead of Lincoln Wellington’s Abbie Donnelly (16:31.89).
It has already been a fantastic last few months for Moyes. The Stowmarket-based athlete had won the British Universities 2,000m steeplechase title in 6:42.21, held at Bedford last month, and was fifth in the South of England senior women’s 1,500m (4:30.38) earleir this month.
Ipswich Harriers had four athletes at Bedford last weekend, spearheaded by another cracking run from John (Jack) Millar.
The impressive Millar continued his fine 2018 by scooping a deserved silver medal in the 5,000m. Although he led for most of the race. Millar was outsprinted in the last 100m by eventual winner Emile Cairess, of Leeds City AC. He clocked 14mins 23.83secs for the 5K distance.
Bath University student Millar was fresh from a superb winter on the cross county circuit, which included a winning run in an England vest at the Home Countries International meeting in Nottingham last March.
Miller, who receives backing from shoe sponsor, Vivobarefoot, had begun the year by winning the senior title at the Suffolk Cross Country Championships at Culford School. He was an eye-catching fourth at the National Championships on Parliament Hill in February.
Other Harriers in action at the U-20/U-23 English National Championships last weekend were Joshua Hulse, who posted 50.65 on his way to sixth spot in his heat of the under-20 men’s 400 metres, and Cameron Bailey, who was fifth in 22.83 in his heat of the 200m.
Don Baker was ninth in the javelin final at Bedford, with a best throw of 54.46m.
Meanwhile, Suffolk celebrated a number of good individual wins, as well as a team success, at the Anglian Schools event at UEA. Suffolk won with 728.5 points, from Lincs (692.5pts), Norfolk (666pts) and Cambs (578).
Wins in the junior girls’ section came from sprinters Emily Cann (100m, 13.0secs) and Millie King (200m, 26.6), while April Hill was a runner-up over 1,500m in 4:56.5.
Chichi Oduah-Ogiemwonyi topped the junior girls’ discus with 28.54m, as did Olivia Buchanan in the javelin (31.36m).
The 4x100m relay team also won, in a time of 50.9secs, just pipping Cambs on the line, to cement a good win in the junior girls’ age group.
The junior boys were third, a highlight being Lewis Sullivan’s dominant win in the 1,500m with 4:18.1. Jack Fayers won the long jump with a leap of 6.29m, as did Michael Van Haren with a throw of 12.38m in the shot.
Lonarra Youngs celebrated a sprints double in the intermediate girls’ category. Youngs was well clear in both the 100m (12.5) and 200m (26.3). Team-mate Bea Green continued the trend with victory over 300m in 42.4secs.
Holly Fisher completely bossed the 1,500m steeplechase with a winning time of 5:19.1, a big 53 seconds ahead of her closest rival.
There were Suffolk wins in the field events for Eliza Betts (5.14m in the long jump) and Sophie Graham (29.45m in the discus, and 37.88m in the javelin).
The intermediate girls’ 4x100m relay quartet also won, in 50.1secs, to rubber-stamp another age group success for Suffolk.
Teddy N’Tuli was a star performer for the intermediate boys’ team, thanks to his commanding win over the sprint hurdles with 14.4secs.
Suffolk did struggle in this age group (fourth overall), but the duo of Archie Cleverley and Daniel Blake-Hagen secured a one-two for Suffolk in the discus with throws of 37.31m and 34.93m respectively.
Tom Mitson was first in the javelin competition with 50.24m.
In the senior girls’ category, Christy Fraser won the 100m (14.9), and there were also first places for Janae Duporte-Clarke (triple jump, 10.82m) and Gemma Ramsey (javelin, 34.48m).
Finally, Suffolk’s senior men dominated their class, led by Luigi Palmieri’s comfortable win over 400m (51.9), and Matthew Snowden in the 2,000m steeplechase (6:59.1).
There was a one-two in the long jump, Oreolnwaiemwa Braithwaite winning with 5.85m and team-mate Jaaziel Kajoba second (5.83m). Toby Risebrow threw 12.41m to win the shot, and Oliver Graham launched the hammer out to 55.39m for victory.
Likewise, Kieron Sadler triumphed in the javelin (48.22m), and the 4x100m crowned a good day with a winning time of 46secs.
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