Stoke AC were well represented at the Staffordshire County Championships held at a blustery Cannock where several athletes produced notable indications of what could be a successful summer ahead of them.

One of the clubs latest recruits, thrower Elliott Price, was one of six athletes to break Championship records. He launched the discus out to 40.59, which also broke Rodger Skedd's club record by over three metres, and when returning later to win the shot putt he indicated Skedd's shot record is on its last legs as he missed it by just 3cm with 13.21.

Best track performances came from Alex Nelson and Emma Jackson. Nelson the nation's top ranked 100m runner from last years U15 campaign proved a legal sub 11 second clocking is on the cards. Last year Nelson was denied from taking Mark Lewis Francis’s age group best due to the absence of a wind gauge when running 10.9 in Worcester.

At Cannock the reigning English Schools Junior Boys champion won by four tenths from team mate Martin Chomanicz (who himself boasts a personal bets of 11.3!), stopping the clock at 11.2. His performance sent out a strong warning to his future opposition as it was run into a 3.2 metre head wind, which suggests that despite being at the bottom end of the U17 age group he will be a contender again for National honours.

Jackson, who endured a frustrating winter cross country campaign marred by injury bounced back with an impressive victory in the U17 women’s 1500m. Not only content with knocking three seconds off here personal best she took the scalp of last years English Schools Intermediate 1500m silver medallist Jo Harper (Cannock & Stafford), winning in time of 4.39.2.

The clubs strongest event, without doubt is the pole vault, and the main reason, Dave Young. Current members of the clan Steven Lewis, Kate Dennison, Alex Williams and Nathan Lawton have all scooped National tittles under his guidance and the latest off the production line is Andrew Marsh.

Many would perhaps succumb to the pressure of joining such an elite group but young Andrew Marsh quickly grabbed his bit of National spot light when winning the National AAA Indoor U15 title back in February. In far from ideal vaulting conditions he added 50cm to the vault that secure him his first of what could be a succession of National titles this year, as he shot to the top of the UK rankings.

The demise of the County championships has received a lot of ink in the athletics press in recent years due to its poor number of entries, so it was good to see Stoke A.C out in force in the majority of events!

Stoke A.C Results (limited to those published nationally I’m afraid)

Staffordshire

Senior Men

100m (-2.2)
1. P Nwaolise 11.3

800m
1. Alex Wright 1.56.3

1500m
1. Wright 4.00.8

110m hurdles (-3.3)
1. Nicholas Gayle U20 16.0

Javelin
2. Neil Fairlamb 50.61

U20

200m (-2.0)
2. Louis Moore 22.7

800m
2. Wayne Knott 2.00.9

110m hurdles (-3.3)
2. James Dohnal 15.8
3. Daniel Thompson 16.1

Discus
1.Greg Nixon 39.47

Javelin
1. Rob Eggleton 54.07

U17

100m (-3.2)
1. Alex Nelson 11.2
6. Martin Chomanicz 11.6

200m (-1.6)
1. Andrew Waller 24.0

100m hurdles (-3.6)
1. Alistair Candlish 14.5

Hammer
2. Sean Lewis 44.49

U15

1500m
2. Alex Derricott 4.27.6

Pole Vault
1. Andrew Marsh 3.50

Shot Putt
1. Elliott Price 13.21

Discus
1. Price 40.59 CBP

U13

1500m
2. J Hart 5.07.00

Senior Women

High Jump
1. Natalie Hulse 1.65
2.Wendy Davidson 1.65

Long Jump
1. Hulse 5.42

U20

800m
1. Amy Simcox 2.19.4

Long Jump
2. Nicola Brady 5.40

U17

800m
2. Kate Harrison 2.19.4

1500m
1. Emma Jackson 4.39.2

Shot Putt
1. Emily Clowes 10.69

Discus
1. Clowes 34.02

Javelin
4. N Allcock 27.62

U15

200m (-2.1)
2. H Rice 28.0

Cheshire

Senior Men

100m
2. Anthony Leigh 11.0

5000m
2. Pete Benyon 16.05.1

110m hurdles
1. Rodger Skedd

High Jump
1. Skedd 1.75

Long Jump
1. Skedd 6.12

Shot Putt
4. Skedd 10.86

Discus
2. Skedd 34.76

Javelin
3. Skedd 44.06

U17

100m
3. Andrew Norton 11.8

Shropshire

Senior Men

200m
2. Steve Butler 23.0