Counties records tumble
May 12 2008 by Kevin Dinsdale, The Journal
THERE were records galore at this weekend’s North Eastern Counties Track and Field Championships at Gateshead International Stadium, writes LES VENMORE.
The bright, warm and sunny weather ensured sprinting and jumping conditions were ideal.
English Schools 100m champion Richard Kilty of Gateshead broke the records in the Under-20 100m and 200m.
In the shorter sprint, Kilty bettered his own figures with a legal following wind. However, his time in the 200m, where he improved on the 10-year-old mark by 0.19secs, was assisted by a following wind which was over the allowed limit.
Richard Hodgson of Middlesbrough, the AAA Indoor 60m champion, broke the records in the Under-15 100m and 200m with legal times.
Leading performances on the first day came in the pole vault where Sale’s Mark Christie bettered his old figures twice in the senior event.
In the Under-17 age group, Gateshead’s Tim Parkin broke the 17-year-old record by 12cms, clearing a personal best to take the lead in the UK rankings.
Gateshead’s Sally Scott set new figures in the Under-20 women’s event.
Morpeth’s Laura Weightman, the 2007 English Schools’ 1,500m champion, set new figures in the Under-20 800m, taking three seconds off her personal best.
Weightman however, lost her record in the Under-17 1,500m to Shildon’s Kate Avery.
Early records were set by Birtley’s Robbie Loraine in the Under-13 1,500m, Newcastle University student Sarah Dunkley in the senior javelin and Craig Fiddes of Blaydon in the Under-20 triple jump.
Gateshead’s Kate Murphy twice broke the record in the Under-13 200m and also took the 100m and long jump titles.
Ashley Wood of Middlesbrough bettered the old figures set in 1992 in the Under-17 long jump by 1cm, and also won a good quality 80m hurdles.
Sisters Emma and Hannah Pringle of Gateshead broke the records in the Under-17 and Under -15 triple jumps, respectively.
Morpeth’s Joe Robertshaw retained his Under-13 200m title, breaking the record twice, his heat time of 27.38secs being a legal mark.
The Middlesbrough pair of Helen Corrigan and Kayleigh Sullivan set records in the Under-17 and Under-20 hammer, respectively.
In the senior events, Trafford’s Nisha Desai won the women’s 400m, 800m and 400m hurdles.
Leslie Richards of York won the discus and the shot from rival Craig Sturrock of Gateshead.
