The North East track and field Championships were staged at Gateshead International stadium last weekend, where a small but elite band of Shildon’s athletes soared to success.
Rachel McHugh led the Jumps group by example when securing double gold in the u20 women’s lj and tj events. U15 girl Jade Hepple strove to match the older girls’ achievements and a fine debut performance in the tj meant Jade leapt 9.40m and secured the silver medal. Jade rounded off her weekend with a pb in the lj of 4.25m.
Courtnie Mills responded to the challenge set by her teammates to secure the silver medal in the lj with a leap of 4.43m. Ryan Etherington made his necaa championships debut in the jumps with a 4th place in the senior men’s tj and 7th in the lj.
Meanwhile the club’s sprinters made the most of the sunny weather with a number of excellent performances. The club’s U13 girls enhanced their status as the region’s finest young sprint group with the dynamic duo of Maddie Wells and Rachel Bennett leading the way as they eased through the heats in the 100m and 200m to qualify for the finals later in the day.
Joining them in the finals of each event was talented newcomer Katie Williams, who gave blistering performances to qualify from the bottom end of the age group. Gaining invaluable experience in their 1st major competition, young speedsters Leah Rutherford Amy Leigh Hutchingson and Rebeka Mills gave a good account of themselves in the heats, despite failing to make the finals.
As the trio of finalist lined up over 100m, the quality of the field was highlighted by the fact that the finalists made up many of the UKs top ranked u13g sprinters. As the gun sounded Katie Williams reacted fastest, with Rachel and Maddie also quick away.
Rachel’s drive phase gave her a clear advantage which she held to the line, with Maddie also breaking clear to give Shildon the gold and silver medals.
Katie followed her training partners over the line in 6th place and will be a sure-fire gold medal threat in a year’s time in this age group.
In the 200m final, UK no.1 at the distance Maddie lined up alongside the no.3 ranked Rachel and the U.K no.5 from Gateshead Harriers.
From the start Maddie took on the field and raced clear of all except Rachel, who gave her all in pursuing Maddie but found her sustained pace too hot to handle as they again crossed the line in 1st and 2nd place, although in reverse order.
Katie Williams found this one race too far with her limited training but performed valiantly to keep in close contact to the rest of the finalists.
Meanwhile, the sole u20w entrant in the sprints, 16 year-old Georgia Hirst took on the 400m and led the field for 395m before just failing to cling on for gold.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
