Rich pickings for track starlet Kilty

May 14 2007 By The Evening Chronicle

Despite cold, blustery conditions, 11 new records were set at the two-day North Eastern Counties Track and Field Championships at Gateshead International Stadium.

Teenage sprint sensation Richard Kilty scorched to a gold medal-double as he soared to the top of the UK rankings with a breath-taking 100 metres victory on the opening day of the championships.

Drawn in the next lane to arch rival Yusif Aliu, Kilty edged home to win the under-20 title in a new championship record of 10.79 seconds, erasing Middlesbrough's Peter Vickers' 2003 time of 11.04sec from the record books. To confirm his superiority, Kilty triumphed over 200 metres 24 hours later in 21.99 sec.

Athletes contesting the under-20 age group came out strongly in the championships with Mellisa Carr smashing both the long jump and triple jump records.

The Shildon athlete produced life-time bests in both competitions to erase Mandale's Elaine Smith's long jump figures from the record books and also better her own triple jump figures of last year.

Gateshead's Lauren Arthur retained her under-20 200 metres title in a new championship record of 25.0sec.

That victory was the start of a superb treble as she went on to win the gold medal in the 400 and 100 metres.

In the short sprint, her winning time of 12.29 sec was just outside the championship best of 12.25 set by North Shields Poly's Gemma Fergusson in 2003, while in the one-lap event her winning time was 58.1sec to complete an excellent treble success.

Birtley's Katy Wilson improved her under-20 hammer record to 38:83 metres while Blaydon's Hester Dix knocked a huge 45 seconds of Johanna Jackson's 5,000 metres record.

An excellent contest unfolded in the discus with four competitors finishing within two metres of each other.

Victory went to Birtley's Stephanie Hopkinson with a throw of 32:86 metres, followed by Portia Maddison (Gateshead) 32:86m; Tyne Breen (Blaydon) 32:42 and Ashleigh Maddison (Gateshead) 31:14. Hopkinson made it a double gold when she won the shot putt competition with a 10:92m effort.

Blaydon's Philip Brown added the outdoor shot title to his indoor gold medal and then proceeded to win the discus competition.

Other under-20 winners included Gateshead's Daniel Blackett (triple jump), Lauren Dewdney (100m hurdles), Lewis Robson (400m); Dean Barrett (javelin) and Andrew Stanton who won the 800 metres.

North Shields Poly's Gina Rutherford won of the 400 metres while team-mate Graeme Level convincingly retained his hammer title.

Morpeth's Nick Swinburn, having his first outing since returning from Australia, won the 5,000 metres while Chester-le-Street's Rachel Barnes led over the barriers to win the steeplechase.

SATURDAY RESULTS: Under-20 men - 100 (0.9): 1 R Kilty (Gate) 10.79 (CBP): 2 Y Allu (M'bro) 10.88; 3 J Kirbige (Darl) 11;05. 400: 1 L Robson (Gate) 50.55; 2 M Docherty (Gate) 51.88; 3 P Miller (Gate) 52.40. 1,500: D Shaw (N Marske) 4:02.71; 2 A Wiles (M'bro) 4:03.74; 3 C Smith (CleS) 4:04.55. 110H (1.5): 1 M Smith (Darl) 16.20; 2 N Ridgeon (SSh) 16.49; TJ: D Blackett (Gate) 12.48. SP: 1 P Brown (Blay) 13.83; 2 N Ridgeon 12.49. DT: 1 P Brown 35.18; 2 N Ridgeon 35.16. PV (Ind): R Dixon (Gate) 3.70.

Under-20 women - 200 (+2.6): 1 L Arthur (Gate) 25.0 (CBP); 2 R Wilmshurst (Dur) 25.5; 3 R Davidson (Gate) 26.4. 800: 1 G Rutherford (NSP) 2:14.44; 2 K Legg (M'bro) 2:21.65. 100H (1.8): L Dewdney (Gate) 14.46. LJ: 1 M Carr (Shil) 5.67 (CBP); 2 R Davidson 5.06; 3 A Ramsay (SSh) 4.72. DT: 1 S Hopkinson (Birt) 32.86; 2 P Maddison (Gate) 32.68; 3 T Breen (Blay, U17) 32.42. JT: A Ramsay 16.70.

SUNDAY RESULTS - Under-20 men - 200: 1 R Kilty (Gate) 21.99, 2 P Miller (Gate) 23.43. 800 1 A Stranton (Gate) 1:54.6, 2 A Wiles ()NM/bro) 1:58.3, 3 W Pike (Gateshead) 1:59/7. 5,000: 1 N Swinburn (Mor) 15:26.16. HJ: L Powell (M/Bro 1.90). 2 N Ridgeon (S.Shields) 1.75. LJ: C Drden (Middlesbro) 5.60. HT: G lebel (NSP) 54.31. JT: 1 D Barrett Gates) 48.55, 2 S Reynolds (Gate) 45.64, 3 I Purkis (Gate) 38.87.

Under- 20 women - 100 (0.3) 1 L Arthur (Gate) 12.29; 2 R Wilmshurst (Dur) 12.58; 3 R Davidson (Gate) 12.87. 400: 1 L Arthur 58.1; 2 G Rutherford (NSP) 58.6; 3 L McMichael (CleS) 60.2. 1500: 1 A Snook (Shil) 4:48.0; 2 A Wilson (Darl) 4:50.7; 3 L Roche (M&C) 4:52.2. 5000: 1 H Dix (Blay) 18:10.34 (CBP): 2 C Baudouin (Gate) 18:36.02. 2000St: R Barnes (CleS) 8:26.3. 400H: 1 L McMichael 64.4; 2 S Coleby (Dur) 67.0. HJ: 1 R Pottinger (Birt) 1.56; 2 L Watt (SSh) 1.55. TJ: M Carr (Shil) 12.48 (CBP). SP: 1 S Hopkinson (Birt) 10.92; 2 V Young (Gate) 9.92; 3 K Wilson (Birt) 9.49. HT: 1 K Wilson 38.83 (CBP); 2 K Sullivan (M'bro) 38.19; 3 E Sellars (M'bro) 31.62.