Golden weekend for Niall and Laura
Jul 13 2009 The Journal
IT was a weekend of mixed fortunes for North East athletes at the English Schools Track and Field Championships at Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield.
Northumberland gained the region’s only two gold medals on Saturday, with Niall Flannery (Newcastle Royal Grammar) and Laura Weightman (Newcastle College) retaining their titles in the senior 400m hurdles and senior girls’ 1500m respectively.
In fact, it was a third successive title for the pair, who also won at Intermediate level two years ago.
Despite not winning titles, other medallists had the satisfaction of achieving personal-best performances.
Emma Pringle (Duchess High) took silver in the senior girls’ triple jump, adding 13cms to her previous best figures.
Scotland-based Guy Learmouth, who attends school in Northumberland, finished third in the senior 800m, taking nearly a second off his previous best time.
Tyne Breen (Whickham Comp) took third in the senior girls’ shot for Durham, adding over a metre on to her old figures.
For Cleveland, Jessica Russon ran a brave race to finish second to Hampshire’s Charlotte Purdue in the senior girls’ 3000m.
Russon was also five seconds quicker than she has ran before.
Ashleigh Wood also set a legal best time, finishing second in the senior girls’ 100m hurdles.
She had previously won her heat with a wind-assisted best performance.
Cumbria gained third in the inter girls’ hammer, with Katy Barnard throwing one metre further than before.
l Alnwick’s David Kirkland repeated his 2007 victory in yesterday’s 30th Northumberland Coastal Run from Beadnell to Alnmouth.
Krkland soon headed the 1,100-strong field and was joined by 2004 winner Ray Ward from Edinburgh.
The pair were locked together until Kirkland made his bid for victory in the final mile.
A strong headwind affected competitors in the closing stages along Alnmouth beach as Kirkland edged to a four-second victory over his rival.
James Bulman of North Yorks Moors finished in an isolated third position ahead of clubmate Paul Lowe, who claimed the first veterans’ prize.
The Cleveland club also took the team title.
Havering’s Debbie Appleton improved on last year’s second placing to win the women’s race.
Amy Green, of Keighley, winner in 2007 and third last year, took second place ahead of Gateshead’s Kim Simpson.
