
Although the cross country season is in full flow with major championships coming up in the next two months - plus the final meeting of the league in which we are well placed in all age categories to come away with coveted team first places whilst also in excellent positions for individual honours there are still track and field competitions which demand our attention.
To start us off here we found two of our members involved in the National combined events meeting held in Sheffield - and there were really positive performances from Sam Wright in the under 20 men`s age group with pb`s in the 60 metres (7.03s) and the 1000 metres (2m 50.45s). Add in the hurdles (8.39s), long jump (7.09), high jump (1.84), shot putt (11.54m) and pole vault of 4.70m brought a total of 5179 points - AND A GOLD MEDAL for this heptathlon event. In the senior women's pentathlon Zoe Ateba recorded 9.72s for the hurdles, high jump (1.60), long jump (5.21), shot putt (8.67) and 2m 41,39s over the 800m for a total of 3118 points - a personal best.
Just a week later and we come to the South of England for senior and under 20`s and again we were able to GOLD coming the way of CAC members. And how. Kissiwaa Mensah has to take the main plaudits - winning her heat of the 200 metres in 23,76s, semi final 23.71s and then with a personal best of 23.45s setting a new championship record for the senior event. A further success came from Alastair Brown in the under 20 men shot putt were a pb of 16.79m was achieved. The shot putt also provided a silver medal in the senior women's event with Jess Hopkins having a best of 13.56m. Staying with the women but moving to the under 20 age group there were to be two silver medals via Amelie Scott in the triple jump (11.04m) and Sophie Catchpole over the 60 metre hurdle event with 8.84s after a win in the heats of 8.91s. For good measure Sophie also contested the 400 metres going through from the heats with 58.5s an placing fifth in the final. Another under 20 to make the podium was Ruby Vinton who qualified for the 800m with a heat time of 2m 18.36s then lowered this to 2m 14.4s for a bronze medal. Add in a further nine members here and it is clear that steps are in place for the summer ahead.
Report written by Roy Meadowcroft