Athletics aces on track to glory

The Hastings Athletic Club quartet which filled the top four places in the under-15 girls' 800m race at the Sussex Championships

The two-day event at the K2 Crawley produced some impressive performances from the local club, with new PBs and medals aplenty.

Luke Cooper (u17) gained a silver medal in the 1,500m, while in the same age group, Sophie Markwick ran brilliantly to take both the 1,500m and 3,000m titles. Ellen Brooker (u15) led her 1,500m race from start to finish and stormed home to take the gold medal by 19 seconds.

The u15 girls’ 800m race was a clean sweep for Hastings. Kiera Aslett and Brooker were in contention for the gold, and it was a fight to the end with Aslett managing to hold on by 0.3 seconds. Jaz Clark bagged the bronze medal and Becky Smart completed a Hastings 1, 2, 3, 4.

In the same discipline for the boys, Joe Body ran an impressive race to finish second in a tactical affair. Clark claimed silver and Smart bronze in the u15 300m sprint race. They were closely followed by Sarah Huxstep in fourth.

Will Martin gained bronze in his 100m and only just missed out on a medal in the 200m. Two Hastings relay teams (u17 and u15 girls) put on a impressive show of teamwork to earn bronze medals.

Other results: U17 100m final - Robyn Mackay 8th; heats - Mia Divito 6th, Aine Gransden 6th, Blye Taylor 8th. U17 200m final - Robyn Mackay 6th, Aine Gransden 7th. U15 final - Rosa Pitt 5th; heats - Grace Gurr 8th. 400m semi-final - Jason Jeffery 6th. U15 800m - Ryan Morrissey 8th. Women 800m - Nicole and Josephine Edwards 6th and 9th, 1500m - Josephine Edwards 5th. U20 men 1500m - Ryan Higgs 6th. U17 Matt Herring 9th. 3000m steeplechase - Sarah Roff 2nd. U15 high jump - Blye Taylor 7th. U17 long jump - Will Martin 5th.