Eastbourne and Hastings athletes star at Sussex finals – others fly to top 10k and marathon times

Rovers’ sprinters were in fine form. Nathan Burge gained silvers in the 100m and 200m, both in PBs. His 11.83sec for the 100m is very impressive at only 13 and puts him in the top 10 in the South East.

Ethan Howcroft just missed out on medals but clinched a PB of 12.25.

In the 300m sprint Oscar Mizen finished with the gold medal in 38.89sec, which puts him 3rd in the South East.

Oscar, Ethan and Nathan were joined by Jonah Messer for the U15 boys 4x100m relay where they won gold in 49.34.

In the U15 girls, Josie Usher leapt a massive 1.48m in the high jump for gold and ran PBs in her two sprints. Jemima Scott was pleased with her 300m race.

U17 Toby Shepherd, in the 200m, despite a PB of 24.3, had to settle for fourth.

In the U17 girls Aoife Cherrill was thrilled to break the 14-second barrier for her 100m in 13.93 and Zoe Wright recorded PBs in the 200m (27.6) and 300m (45.3).

Among the seniors. Bryn Smith held on to the title of fastest sprinter in Sussex as he took double gold in 100m and 200m. His fantastic 100m PB of 10.54 ranks him 5th in the South East.

Dylan Brudenell, in the 400m, brought home another gold for the team in 50.95.

U20 Thomas Chaffey sprinted down the straight in 12.36.

For the senior girls Shania Martlew took silver in the 200m with a PB of 25.46. Sophie Hutchison improved her 400m and Ellen Bregazzi is closing in on 14 seconds for her 100m. Shania, Sophie, Ellie and Eleanor clinched bronze in the 4x100m.

Sprint coach Sue Keen could not have asked for more from her squad. Chris Voice’s middle distance squad scooped nine medals and 13 PBs.

Eleanor Strevens won the U20 girls’ 800m in 2:12.64 and took the U20 400m with a PB of 57.67 – and is in the south east top 10 for both.

Daisy Connor won the U15 girls 800m (2:20.05) and ran a PB to win the U15 girls’ 300m (42.78). Freda Pearce finished 2nd in the 1500m with a PB of 4:57.86.

Ilya Korchev was 3rd in the U17 boys’ 1500m with a PB of 4:13.06. Ellie Mclean, in the U20 girls’ 1500m, finished 3rd and helped the club to bronze in the 4x100m.

Jonah Messer won gold in the U15 boys’ 80m hurdles and ran a 1500m PB. PBs were recorded by Fin Lumber Fry and Ben Wright in the U15 boys’ 1500m, Fintan Pearce in the U17 boys’ 800m and Lexie McLean in the U15 girls 800m.

Six U13s from Jenny Brown’s junior squad took part in the minithon. Aidan Pringle was top boy in 4th, Joshua Webster was 7th, Charlie Davey 11th. Georgia Lennard, Grace Luford Brown and Amy Coughlan, in the girls’ minithon, gained PBs.

Katy Brown’s hard work with throws coach Liz Brandon paid off – she won four U15 girls’ medals. She came away with silver in shot with a PB of 6.92m and in hammer (14.27m) and bronzes in javelin (PB of 19.74m) and discus (14.13m).

U17 Adam Churchyard took discus gold with a throw of over 27m before putting the shot 10m for the silver. Also part of the growing throws group, new Eastbourne athlete Ketan Srivastva threw 34.21m in the senior men’s discus competition.

Other athletes gaining medals and PBs included Caitlyn Spencer, bronze in the U17 girls 200m in 26.87s, James Jewell, coached by Pete Standen, with a PB of 4:11.81 in the U20 boys’ 1500m and masters athletes Matt Southam (M35 1500m 1st), Juriy Korchev (M40 1500m 3rd), Stuart Pelling (M35 800m 1st) and Richard Davis (M40 800m 1st).

RUN WEDNESDAYS

Run Wednesdays took a team of 39 runners to the Bognor Prom 10k.

The race, set up and organised by Hotham Rotary Club, first took place in May 1994 and has enabled runners to raise thousands of pounds for good causes.

The event was of special significance for the club event organiser, Rosalind Wilkins, who selected local charity Children with Cancer Trust to benefit from the club’s fundraising efforts.

Ros said: “Run Wednesdays followed in the footsteps of King George V to visit Bognor.

"It was a beautiful, warm day with a fun build-up and start.

"Our runners were energised by great support through the fast, flat course.

"Many of our runners got personal bests over the 10k distance, with Shane Smith being our first runner to finish and Gina Mo Elli running her first ever 10km race.”

Special mentions also go to club runners Jaqueline White, Lorraine Kyriacou, Mel Marshall and Stuart McKenzie.If you would like to contribute to Roz’s fundraising challenge for the Children with Cancer Trust, please go to her Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/runwedsbognor10kteam

To find out more about Run Wednesdays, look up their Facebook page.

HASTINGS RUNNERS

Hastings Runners veteran star Kevin Blowers cannot stop running.

Having recently completed the Hastings Half Marathon, the London Marathon and the 50k Run To The Sea he eased up – just a little – for the Horsham 10k race.

There, competing in the Sussex Grand Prix series in a strong field of 340 runners, he finished 47th in a time of 43min 56sec, winning the vet men 60-64 age category.

Two more Hastings Runners accompanied Blowers at Horsham.

Andy Knight came 68th in a time of 45.59 and Catharine Cattaway, forgoing more orthodox birthday celebrations, but developing a thirst on a warm day, crossed the line in a time of 1.18.49.

Meanwhile entries are still available for Hastings Runners flagship event, the Keith Chandler Memorial Road Race, which returns for its 16th anniversary on Sunday, June 4.

The mainly seafront route – which starts and finishes in the town centre – again includes a loop of the town's historic pier.

The fast, flat course has definite PB potential provided that conditions aren't too windy, but equally it is suitable for all abilities with a sweep runner at the back of the field.

Race organiser Nick Brown is hoping to attract runners and their families from all over the south east with something in the region of 400 to 500 runners expected to take part.

It’s a Sussex Grand Prix event which has raised nearly 60k for St. Michael's Hospice since 2005.

There are cash prizes for the first two men and women finishers; a £100 prize for new course records (the men's record currently tands at 25.57 and the women's at 28.29), a superb race medal, five-year age category awards from M40/F40 up to M75/F75 and team awards for the first three men's and women's teams.

Entry cost is £16 for affiliated runners, £18 for those who are unaffiliated, rising to £20 on the day.

You can register at https://register.enthuse.com/ps/event/TheHastingsRunners5MileRoadRace

Love Hastings Ltd are the major sponsor, along with longstanding sponsors Priory Meadow Shopping Centre and Wisdens Sports, with recent additions The White Rock Hotel and Only Coco Chocolates; supported by Hastings Borough Council, 1066 Country Marketing and Hastings Pier.

Hastings Runners welcomes new members of all abilities aged 12 and over for fun, training and competitive running. Visit https://hastingsrunners.co.uk to find out more.

NEIL JEFFRIES

HASTINGS AC

Sussex athletes turned out in force in the sunshine for the 2023 Sussex Track & Field Championships at the K2 in Crawley – and Hastings AC were well represented.

With nearly 1000 entries, numbers at this year’s event were back to pre-Covid level, and standards were high.

Hastings AC under-17 athlete Rae Le Fay had a triumphant weekend with two gold medals, two personal bests and two championship bests.

On Saturday after heats, she won the final of 800m with a PB of 2.11.

This broke a county record of 2.12.2 which has stood since 1994.

Then on Sunday she ran the 1500m, and despite having not run the distance yet this season, she was around 100m in the lead for most of the race.

She beat her own personal best time by seven seconds in a time of 4.32, retaining the Sussex county title she won last year.

This was once again a championship best, beating a time that has stood since 1984.

Rae secured the fastest female times of all the age groups overall in both events.

She has managed this while balancing revision for her GCSEs, studying in the stands in the long breaks between races.

HY RUNNERS

HY Runners headed to Dartford for their first Southern Athletic League track match.

​Making up men’s and women’s A and B strings, club members filled multiple events for both track and field events.

John Badrock took on the high jump, long jump, triple jump, discus, 400m, 3000m and 4x400m relay. Joseph O’Gorman did the hammer, shot put, long jump, javelin, 200m, 400m hurdles, 4x100m relay and the 3000m steeplechase.

Ryan Morrissy completed the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay and shot put. Matthew Harmer’s events were 400m, 800m, 1500m, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay.

Carl Adams got to work on the hammer, discus, 1500m, 3000m, 4x400m relay and the 3,000m steeplechase.

Liam Checksfield, HY’s youngest representative at the track meet, took on the high jump, 800m, 4x100m, triple jump and javelin.For the ladies it was similar story of multiple events for athletes.

Laura Dearsley completed the hammer, shot and 4x400m relay, Hayley Foster the 100m, 4x400m relay and discus.

Jenna Harmer did the javelin, high jump, long jump, triple jump and 4x100m, Leanne Badrock the 200m, 800m, 4x100m relay, long jump and triple jump while Deb Read completed the 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay and the high jump.

Becky Mabon did the javelin, 400m, 1500m, 3000m, 2000m steeplechase and 4x400m relay. Ivy Buckland competed in the 800m, 3000m, 2000m steeplechase, 1500m and 4x100m relay.

Michelle Harrod completed the ladies squad taking part in the discus, shot put and hammer throwing a club record in the latter.

Closer to home six HY Runners did the Hastings parkrun. Nicky Stiles and Jimmy Sladden slashed their PBs crossing the line in 21:17 and 21:25 respectively.

Rachel Wigmore finished in 21:58, Katy Matthews 23:38, Mark Tewkesbury 24:45 and Chris Castleman took on pacing duties for his wife, earning her a new PB finished in 26:56.

On Sunday, HY junior Noah Mayhew raced in the Hailsham Active 3k. Noah completed the race in 12:04 blazing across the line in first place ahead of his nearest competitor by an incredible 14 seconds.