Pole Vaulters impressively pave the way to Nottingham

Report by Tom Gayle

After last weeks commonwealth fever, this week it was the turn of the junior athletes to stake a claim in the highlight of their calendar the English Schools Championships which are being held in Nottingham this year.

The meeting incorporated the top two competitors from eight different counties, based on the results from the previous weeks county championship. Numerous Stoke AC athletes were on show all vying for a spot in their respective county squads as only those who won their event and had achieved the entry standard were guaranteed selection for Nottingham.

In what continues to be the clubs strongest event at this level, largely due to the great coaching of Dave Young, the pole vault provided the clubs main stars.

First up was Alex Williams in the Junior Boys event. After seeing the rest of the competition bowing out below 3 metre’s Williams soared to the top of his age group rankings with a personal best vault of 3.45.

Next, continuing her hectic schedule was Katie Dennison in the Senior Girls event. A week after her Commonwealth disappointment she was again after that World Junior Standard and UK record of 3.95. After a comfortable opening height clearance of 3.80 the bar was raised to 3.95. Unfortunately though again it seemed a bridge too far as she was unable to meet this notoriously tough standard. No doubt unfazed by this she will head off into next week’s National Junior Championships at Bedford again in search of a trip to World Juniors in Jamaica.

The best it seems was saved till last as Stephen Lewis produced a magnificent display in the Intermediate boys event. After seeing the rest of the competition bow out below 4 metres which included team mate Nathan Lawton (3.65) he entered at 4.25. Despite a nervous start he cleared that height on his second attempt, and then went on to clear a series of vaults at the first attempt, finally ending up with a massive Meeting Best Performance and a new personal best of 4.65.

The throws produced arguably the most dominant winner of the day with Sean Lewis in the Junior Boys Hammer. Winning by over 14metres with 46.28, Sean should now head off to Nottingham hoping to improve on his fourth place from last year.

It was a double victory for Emily Clowes in the Intermediate Girls as after winning the B string shot putt she reverted to her strongest event the discuss. She produced an impressive throw of 35.07, over two metres inside the entry standard. Still a first year in this age group, hopefully if not this year, then definitely next, Emily has shown the form that suggests she can medal in this event at the 2003 championships.

Best performances on the track came from the hurdles as Stoke had two winners and four runner-ups in their respective races. In the Senior Boys event Nicholas Gayle had a tough battle with Andrew Hopkinson (Cheshire). Despite there being just the two in the race Gayle won by 0.1 as both athletes went in side the entry standard for the event.

In the Intermediate Boys event Andy Tyleson, who has, only been competing for the club for just under a year, showed great potential in the 400m hurdles. Still a first year in the age group he came close to cracking the 60 second barrier for the event as he won a close battle for second in a new personal best of 60.4 behind the impressive Darren Lewis (West Midlands).

Lewis then went to complete the hurdles double and in doing so he enabled James Dohnal to stake a late claim for his inclusion in the Staffordshire squad for Nottingham. An aggressive approach to the race saw him achieve a new personal best, but more importantly the entry standard for the event as he placed 2^nd with 14.2 behind Lewis’s 14.0. Team mate Alistair Candlish went one better in the B string as he won a tight race in a time of 15.3.

Not to be out done by their male counterparts Katie Marsh and Charlotte Ward continued the success over the hurdles. In the Inter girls race Marsh lead from the first hurdle to win in 12.3, just 0.2 outside the entry standard. In the Junior race Ward took second in the B string event recording a new personal best of 12.5.

In the middle distance Emma Jackson was hoping to transfer her cross country success (she was selected to run for England schools after finishing 7^th in the Schools X-Country) on to the track over the 800m. After following the fast early pace set by Anna Symonds (Hereford & Worcestershire) who was 4^th over the event at last years championships in Exeter, Jackson unfortunately had no answer to Symonds finishing speed, taking second with 2.21, just a second outside the entry standard for the event.

An impressive 25 Stoke athletes were present on the day and I wish all those vying for places in their county teams for Nottingham good luck and hopefully I will be able to report back on even more success stories when the championships take place on July 12-13^th.

Results from the meeting can be found at www.nationalyal.co.uk and a table including the English Schools National and Entry standards for each event can be found at www.esaa.net

Stoke A.C Results

Junior Boys

100m
A 3. Andrew Norton, Cheshire 12.1 (-0.6)

1500m
A 8. Liam Jones, Staffordshire 4.55.0
B 7. Fred Mainwaring, Staffordshire 5.01.0

Pole Vault
A 1. Alex Williams, Staffordshire 3.45 NS

Long Jump
A 6. Williams 5.03

Hammer
A 1. Sean Lewis, Staffordshire 46.28 NS


Junior Girls

800m
A 2. Emma Jackson, Staffordshire 2.21.3

80m hurdles
B 2. Charlotte Ward, Staffordshire 12.5

Long Jump
A 7. Ward 4.55

Javelin
A 5. Natalie Allcock, Staffordshire 25.73

Intermediate Boys

800m
A 3. Wayne Knott, Staffordshire 2.03.1

1500m
B 3. Carl Shubotham, Staffordshire 4.15.8

100m hurdles
A 2. James Dohnal, Staffordshire 14.2 ES
B 1. Alistair Candlish, Staffordshire 15.3

400m hurdles
A 2. Andy Tyleson, Staffordshire 60.4

1500m s/c
A 4. Matthew Archer, Staffordshire 4.53.4
B 3. Lee Collis, Staffordshire 5.17.8

High Jump
A 2. Ashley Stevenson, Staffordshire 1.85

Pole Vault
A 1. Stephen Lewis, Staffordshire 4.65 NS & MBP
B 1. Nathan Lawton, Staffordshire 3.65

Hammer
A 4. Philip Brownsword, Staffordshire 39.35

Intermediate Girls

800m
A 4. Katie Harrison, Staffordshire 2.20.4

3000m
B 1. Sophie Alcock, Staffordshire 12.12.9

80m hurdles
B 1. K Marsh, Staffordshire 12.3

Shot
B 1. Emily Clowes, Staffordshire 10.13

Discus
A 1. Clowes 35.07 ES

Javelin
A 3. Marsh 29.61

Senior Boys

3000m
A 4. Lee Collis, Staffordshire 9.14.5

110m hurdles
A 1. Nick Gayle, Staffordshire 14.9 (0.2) ES


Senior Girls

Pole Vault
A 1. Katie Dennison, Cheshire 3.80 NS & MBP

ES = English Schools Entry Standard

NS = English Schools National Standard