Fantastic start to the season for WSEH Middle Distance Athletes!

Country Selection for Sam Hodgson, Jasmine Young and Jess Hatch

After running the fastest times by U20 runners in the ERRA National Road Relays 2022 held in Sutton Park, Birmingham on Saturday 9th April, Sam Hodgson and Jasmine Young were selected to represent England Athletics as part of their U20 teams participating in the Cardiff Race For Victory 5K on Sunday 1st May 2022. In the race, held on closed roads, Sam was 10th U20 and 29th overall in a PB of 14:55, almost a minute faster than his previous best. Jasmine also ran a PB of 16:45 as 3rd U20 Woman and 11th female overall. Both the England men and women won the U20 team prize.

Topping the U20 Women’s rankings for both 1500m and 3000m steeplechase for 2022, Jess Hatch has been selected to represent Great Britain Juniors at the Loughborough International Match against Scotland, the National Athletics League, England Athletics and Loughborough University (that will be represented by Alex Barbour) on Sunday 22^nd May.

More steeplechase success

Both Rachel Clutterbuck (6:43.95) and Luke Birdseye (5:52.15) top the UK rankings for the U18 2000m steeplechase. Luke’s time would currently top the U18 Men’s European Age group rankings and Rachel is currently 2^nd in the European age group rankings.  Their times are inside the British Athletics qualifying standards for the European Athletics U18 Championships which will be held on 4 – 7 July 2022 in Jerusalem, Israel. Selections will be made on Monday 22nd June.

Age best for Jake Meyburgh

Running in a 1500m race at the Watford Open Meeting on 4^th May 2022, Jake ran a time of 4:11.93 which is recognised as a unofficial world age-best for a 12 year-old according to the compiler of International Age Records. He’s certainly keeping some illustrious company!

British Universities Championships

In the British Universities Championships held at Chelmsford over the weekend on 30^th April to 2^nd May, Alex Barbour was 6^th in the 2000m steeplechase in a PB of 6:43.59 and Daniel Brookling came 9^th in the 1500m.

County Championships

Most county track championships were held over the weekend of 14^th and 15^th May and the WSEH middle distance squads had representatives in the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey events who gained numerous medals and PBs.

Berkshire County Championships:

Berkshire County staged the rarely run 600m and 1000m races for the U13 age group which resulted in a 3^rd place for Quinn Bookless in the U13 Girls’ 600m and a clean sweep in the U13 Girls’ 1000m with Zoe Allen, Tara Ferguson and Zara Davey finishing 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd respectively. George Hilliar was 2^nd in the U13 Boys’ 1000m with Archie Charles 4^th, James Hughes 6^th, Harry Welch 9^th and Euan Totays 10^th.

Moving on to the 800m races, Ana Passos was 2nd in the U15 Girls’ event in a PB of 2:21.53. Thibault Mingret and Aaron Shiel were 2nd and 3rd in the U15 Boys’ 800m in PBs of 2:16.03 and 2:16.13. Ella Davey ran a PB of 2:25.62 when coming 3^rd in the U17 Women’s 800m as did Asmi Saha with 2:30.52 in 5^th. Nathan Rollins ran a PB of 2:08.19 when coming 3^rd in the U17 Men’s race with Callum Welch 6^th in a PB of 2:13.07 and Sohan Nath in a PB of 2:26.37 for 8th.

Charlotte Dewar was close to her best when winning the U20 Women’s 800m in a time of 2:15.73 (Charlotte also won the U20 Women’s 400m hurdles in a PB of 64.90). Satvik Nath came 2^nd in the U20 Men’s 800m in 2:14.11.

In the 1500m races, Jasmine Young won the U20 Women’s event in 4:41.01. Frank McGrath won the U20 Men’s race in 4:08.83, Jack Campbell was 2nd in 4:14.26 and Luke Hynes 3rd in 4:15.11. Ana Passos ran another PB when coming 2^nd in the U15 Girls’ 1500m in a time of 5:03.25 with Maizie Tearle also recording a PB of 5:47.33 for 7th. Guy Branston ran a PB of 4:28.74 for 3rd in the equivalent U15 Boys’ race.

George Thomas won the U17 Men’s 1500m by nearly 15 seconds, recording a PB of 4:10.61 in the process. Callum Welch also ran a PB of 4:27.91 to come 3rd in the same race. In the U17 Women’s race Jacqueline Heller was 2nd in 4:49.59 and Eva Bartlett 3rd in an 8 second PB of 4:49.66.

Moving on to the 3000m races, Sam Hodgson ran a PB of 8:40.63 to win the U20 men’s event with Will Goddard 2nd in a PB of 9:04.67.  George Thomas took another win in the U17 Men’s race with 9:13.07 and Guy Branston won the U15 Boys’ race in a PB of 9:56.90 (James Farley was 5^th in a PB of 11:07.16). Abigail Farley won the U15 Girls’ 3000m with a time of 11:54.39 and Jemima Ridley won the U20 Women’s race in 10:39.88 with Keshni Manek 2nd in a PB of 10:48.69.

There was more success in the steeplechase races where Jessica Hatch won the U20 Women’s 1500m steeplechase with a ranking topping PB of 4:57.52 and Keshni Manek was 2nd in 5:39.03. Ella Davey won the U17 Women’s race in a PB of 5:10.23 with Aashni Manek 2nd in a PB of 5:43.69. Josh Mingoia recorded a PB of 4:39.62 when winning the U17 Men’s race with Benjamin Dewar 2nd in a PB of 4:56.36.

A special mention should also go to assistant coach Neil Hynes for his 4^th place in the Men’s 5000m in a time of 18:46.58 as his race took place in the peak hot Saturday afternoon sunshine.     

Surrey County Championships:

Three of our middle distance athletes competed in the Surrey County Championships over the same weekend. Alex Didaskalou was 2^nd in the U15 Boys’ 800m in a PB of 2:07.83. Jake Meyburgh was also 2^nd in the U15 Boys’ 1500m in 4:14.49 and Toby Spencer recorded a PB of 2:05.70 for 5th in the U17 Mens’ 800m.

Buckinghamshire County Championships:

At the Buckinghamshire champs, held in conjunction with the Oxfordshire champs at their Horspath track, William Hapgood stormed to victory in the under 13 Boys’ 800m with a new PB of 2:14.04 which take him to the top of the UK rankings for the age group. In the Under 17 Men’s race, Henry Johnston broke the 2 minute barrier for the first time with 1:59.17 to add the Bucks 800m title to the 3000m title he won a few weeks ago.

All county championship results are available on Power of Ten here.

Congratulations to lead coaches Shireen Higgins and Patrick McGrath, to all the assistant coaches and of course all the athletes.