Middlesbrough Sports Village hosted the second NECAA Open Meeting of the season, attracting athletes from all over the region. As expected, the blue and white vests of DHAC where out in force, including an impressive contingent from our junior section.
As usual with the open meetings, events were of mixed age groups/gender, with heats being graded on previous times and distances. This is how their day went…..
75m Hurdles
As a an all round athlete and contender for the pentathlon later this year, this was a great opportunity for Hugo Douglas-Reeves to get in some Hurdle competition practice. He’s hurdled 60m before but this was his first attempt at 75m and he handled things very well, crossing the line in 17.9s. Well done, Hugo, a great effort.
100m Hurdles
From a young man just starting out on his combined events athletics, to one of our most experienced; Charlotte Rutter has now reached the heady heights of Under 20 – that grey area between Junior and Senior status. If you check out her Power of 10 credentials you can’t fail to be impressed by her track record (if you pardon the pun!) – without doubt, a great inspiration to our younger athletes! One of her favourite disciplines is the hurdles but now she’s an U20 athlete she moves up to 100m which is a whole new ball game, with new heights and spacing of hurdles to contend with. But she was on top form today, narrowly beaten into 2nd place, crossing the line in 14.66s, an ESAA Grade 2 time. Well done, Charlotte, a fantastic start to your 100m hurdling!
100m
Onto to the straight sprints, without a hurdle in sight! Jack Johnson was first up in Heat 2; a mixture of U13 and U15 athletes. Jack, now a year 1 U15, was in great form today. He focussed on his own race and crossed the line with a new PB of 15.27s to take 6th place. Next, in Heat 6, it was great to see Olivia Bell competing for the first time this season. She’s just moved up to U17 so was aiming for a decent performance today. She looked strong all the way and was agonisingly close to a PB, dipping over the line in 13.8s to take 5th place. Excellent sprinting from both today, well done!
200m
We had two of our juniors taking on the 200m today. First up in Heat 5 was Lottie Graves in her third 200m race this season. She just keeps on improving and today she did it again, smashing her previous best with a new PB of 28.4s (a wind assisted ESAA Grade 2 time!) In Heat 6, Hugo Douglas-Reeves took to the track for the second time today. This was his first 200m since DHAC’s Back to Track meeting back in August last year. Like Lottie, he produced an ESAA Grade 2 time, although wind assisted, and a new PB of 27.06. Great work from both athletes, well done!
1500m
Onto the 1500m and DHAC had competitors in every one of the 7 heats! Starting with Heat 1 there were some terrific performances from our younger section, all Under 13 and running the distance for the first time. Daniel I’Anson impressed as he lead the way to take 1st place, winning by a clear 11 seconds! He crossed the line in 5:39.62. Finn Pentland-Rice wasn’t far behind after a fabulous run; he took 3rd place in 5:53.04. Next up, brothers, Jack and Harry Glenton; it was a great run from both boys with Jack just getting the better this time. He finished in 9th place in 6:21.47, with Harry just behind in 10th in a time of 6:28.19. Well done lads, a great effort from all.
Heat 2 saw Under 15, Matthew Vest take to the track for the first time this season. A little off his PB but that’s understandable as it’s his first competitive run for a while. A great effort, nonetheless, finishing in 8th place in 5:43.67. Nice one, Matthew, well done!
We had two more impressive performances in Heat 3. First up was Under 17, Macy Kelly. She put in a fabulous effort, working hard and was rewarded with a new PB of 5:13.97, an improvement of 11 seconds, and 5th place. This was the first track competition this season for Under 15, Libby Hammond, so she was over the moon when she also ran a PB. An excellent time of 5:20.95 was enough to take 8th place in the heat. Well done girls, top running from both!
There was more Under 17 action in Heat 4, and some tough competition for Mia Wetherill and Emily Vest to contend with. As usual it was a fantastic effort from both girls with Mia being the first of our girls home. She crossed the line with a Season’s Best of 5:11.59 in 6th place. Not far behind in 8th, Emily had a cracking run, smashing her previous best by over 12 seconds with a new PB of 5:16.14. Well done girls, a fabulous effort from both.
Heat 5 saw the incomparable, Zara Jones doing her stuff! Now in her first year at Under 15, she just keeps on getting better and better. She smashed her PB in her last 1500m at the NEGP recently, and today she was at it again. This time she broke the 5 minute barrier after an outstanding run, crossing the line in 4:55.83 (an ESAA Grade 3 time) in 6th place. Superb effort, Zara, well done!
In heat 6 it was Under 15, Harry Lyons who took to the track; a tough race against plenty of U17s and Seniors, including DHAC coach, Adam Mitchell. But Harry did the right thing focussing on his own race; he performed admirably and was the first U15 to cross the line an excellent time of 4:37.88 (an ESAA Grade 4 time.) Great run, Harry, well done.
And in the final 1500m heat of the day we had Under 20, Adam Russell; another tough race with some quality athletes to contend with. As usual, Adam produced a strong performance, finishing 6th overall in 4:11.74, just a couple of seconds off his PB. Nice one Adam, well done.
Javelin
Onto the field events and for Charlotte Rutter, the javelin is one of the 7 disciplines required for the Heptathlon, and this was her first competition throwing the heavier 600g version. Some outstanding throwing improved her PB by nearly 2m with a best of 24.36m. Well done Charlotte, a fantastic effort!
Triple Jump
A tricky event to master by anyone’s standard but Under 15 Harrier, Ashton Harrison, seems to be making a pretty good job of things. This was his first time at the event and he came away with a cracking jump of 10.34m. A superb debut and more importantly, over 50cm further than his Dad’s PB (come on Andy, pull your socks up!) Great work, Ashton, keep it up!
Shot Put
We had three shot putters in action today, Lily Thompson, Lottie Graves and Jack Johnson. Lily, now an Under 17 athlete, was on good form again today. Although not a PB, her best of 9.90m was still an ESAA Grade 4 throw, and enough to take 1st place in the U17W category. Under 13, Lottie just keeps on going! Another PB in the shot today with a best of 6.73m, also an ESAA Grade 4 throw, to finish in 2nd place. For Jack who’s just moved up to Under 15, this was his first attempt with a 4k shot, which I’m sure feels a lot heavier than 3k when you’re throwing it! A great effort though with a best of 4.94m. Well done to our trio of shot putters!
Discus
Lily Thompson was back again, this time throwing the Discus. She was definitely on top form here with a best of 25.79m which was a PB and her second ESAA Grade 4 throw of the day. Nice one, Lily!
Under 11 75m/Standing Long Jump
It was excellent to see three of our U11’s keen to get involved in this Open Match; something that will stand them in good stead for future competitions. James I’Anson, George Togher and Hettie Graves all performed with tremendous enthusiasm in the 75m sprint and Standing Long Jump. James won the sprint in 12.11s, with George and Hettie not far behind. And there was some excellent jumping from our talented trio with James coming out on top with a best of 1.80m. Well done to all three, we look forward to seeing you compete again!
Overall, a fabulous performance from all our Junior Harriers with plenty of PB’s and even a few ESAA graded times and distances as well. It certainly bodes well for the rest of the season! Well done to all. #UTH!
Big thanks for the photos, courtesy of Penny I’Anson, Geoff Fenwick and Mike Nixon
Full results of the event can be found at https://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=413349