National and Sussex leagues keep Chichester athletes on toes

The club’s U15 boys have been the most consistent team all summer and have been further strengthened by a couple of talented additions.

Multi-eventer Ben Stewart has continued fine form over 300 and 800m and shotput and added a fast 1500m time of 4min 40sec to his range in wet and windy conditions at Brighton.

Stanley Wilkes had to give way to Stewart in the same match but helped the club to a pair of first places and set the fastest time of the season at 4.36 at the Youth Development League fixture at Hemel Hempstead.

Kai Lendrum supported Wilkes over 1500m and notched good points when backing up Daniel Ellis in the 80m hurdles and Kieren Mogridge in the javelin. Sprinter Temo Nosiru and long jumper Toby Russell-Wells gaineduseful points at Hemel to give the U15 boys parity with strong clubs such as Portsmouth, Southampton, Kingston and Bournemouth.

This form continued in the deluge which swamped the Withdean Stadium.

Stalwarts Stewart, Wilkes and Ellis were in action, with Elllis setting a new personal best of 12.8sec in the hurdles, and were joined by a new combination of sprinters with Jake Teece and Austin Stack giving a boost in the 100m.

The pair combined well in the long jump with good third events in high jump and javelin.

Harry Dunne set a new personal best of 2.15 in the 800m and was supported by Harry Cruttenden who also teamed up with Wilkes in the discus and Stack in javelin.

The seven U15 boys on duty at Brighton achieved the club’s best result of the season, a close second to Eastbourne and beating both Brighton and Crawley for the first time for many seasons.

The U15 girls owe much to regulars Molly Smithers and Grace Haworth. Smithers has a sub 4.50 1500m and produced battling displays. Haworth has shone on track and field in hurdles, 200m and javelin. Middle distance pair Elodie Hill and Rose Pemberton were in a competitive 800m at Heme Hempstead while good field eventers Anya Dickinson and Bella Noye battled the elements at Brighton.

They were joined by Ellie Bulbeck in her first match for the club and she showed promise in shot put and discus.

The U13s were in action at Hemel with four athletes making their first appearance for the club in this league.

Sprinter Annie Lock produced national times over 75m and 150m at 10.3 and 20.8sec. She was backed well by Holly Wilson and Olive Pring while Alice King added strength in shot put and javelin.

Isabella Lendrum showed versatility in the 1500m hurdles and javelin and combined with Lock, Wilson and Pring for the club’s fastest time this season in the 4x100m relay.

Max Gayle started the match with a fine hurdles win followed by good times at 150m and 80m. Freddie Gay showed strength in high jump, 1200m and shot put while Joe Stewart boosted shot, 1200m and hurdles tallies.