Regional athletics round-up

Aug 30 2010 by Les Venmore, The Journal

A DEPLETED North East Counties team competed with credit at Saturday's Northern Athletics Inter-Counties Championships at a windy Gateshead.

The region finished fifth overall behind a strong Yorkshire squad.

Gateshead’s Ben Porter won the triple jump and, like most of the senior team, was an under-20 athlete.

In the senior women’s section, Vicky Young of Gateshead gained her first major title when winning the shot.

The North East’s best team performance came in the under 15 boys’ age-group, finishing third behind Yorkshire.

They also provided three individual winners. Adam Simpson (Gateshead) added three cms to his previous best figures to take the long jump title.

Jonny Wilkinson (Gateshead) took the 80m hurdles and Patrick O’Connor (Middlesbrough) won the high jump.

Though both took silver medals, Joe Robertshaw (Morpeth) and David Kilpatrick (Blaydon) set personal bests in the 400m and shot respectively.

In the under-15 girls’ section, Gateshead’s Alona-Mae Lonsdale leapt 13cms further than before to win the long jump.

The ever-reliable Lydia Turner of Birtley won the 1500m, while third-placed Kayleigh Brown (Gateshead) threw a personal-best distance in the shot.

Two champions from last weekend’s England Athletics Championships won their events.

Grace Rodgers from Whitby, competing for Yorkshire, was first in the under-17 800m and Natasha Wilson from Carlisle, representing Cumbria, won the javelin.

Morpeth’s Laura Weightman claimed the main 1500m race at Saturday’s BMC Grand Final at Cardiff.