2003 County Championship Round Up

Some impressive performances in the age groups highlighted hurdle performances in the County Championship weekend. In combined East and West District championships Eildhi Child scored an impressive double in the Inter Girls events, taking the 80H in 11.75w and the 300H in 43.6 and will be chasing her own 42.21 performance from 2002 as the season progreses.

Also at Meadowbank Natalie Doyle ran imprsively in both heat [11.50] and final [11.40w] to take the u15 girls 75 m hurdles title, whilst Kris Robertson again impressed over the youths 400 hurdles with a 56.80 victory. The North Eastern Championships at Shildon there saw even better youth 400H performances with Dan Pope and C Crawford-Granville fighting out a good battle with 56.14 and 56.24 respectively [only six athletes ran below 57 seconds in 2002]. Gemma Ferguson last years u20 AAA champion was also in good form at Shildon with a season opening 13.88.

Heather Jones' 80H 11.4 moved her to the top of the u17 sprint hurdles list , whilst last years u15 ESAA champion Kyllie Robillard continued her adaption to the u17 event with a 11.90 victory in the Hampshires. Yorkshire's Emma Noble also showed she had moved up to the 80H well with a 11.7 triumph at Sheffield.

In the youths sprint hurdles, Craig France recorded 13.6 whilst 2002 ESAA 80H champion Dan Davies ran 13.64 to take the Surrey title.

There were fine u20 performancs from Edward Dunford 14.6 at 3'3" to win the 110H at the Warwickshire's , whilst World Junior representative Rhys Williams started his camapign with a comfortable 53.5 victory.

The best senior event of the weekend saw a narrow 400H victory for Susan Williams dipping under the 60 second barrier with 59.93 to defeat Jenny Culley 60.07 and Ruth Brereton 60.66 at Kingsmeadow. Steve Surety who had such a big breakthrough last year opened his 2003 season with a 52.85 victory in the Essex Championships.

16 May 2003