AVEAC young athletes played their part in last weekend’s East Midlands Regional Sports Hall finals at the Meres Leisure Centre, Grantham. The finals, across three age groups, were hotly contested with many of the individual races and relay events providing exciting finishes, a ‘vest width’ separating winners and runners up in many of the events. Five counties were represented in the Under 11 Boy’s and Girl’s competitions while four counties battled for the honours in the Under 13 and 15 age groups. Derbyshire won three of the six age groups on offer with the Under 11 Girl’s, the Under 13 Boy’s and the U13 Girl’s scoring the highest number of points in their respective sections.
Under 11s
The Under 11 match was billed as a ‘Fun in Athletics’ Festival and featured five counties. As well as Derbyshire, teams were represented from Leicestershire and Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire. In the Girls match, Derbyshire won overall scoring 476 points in a close affair with Leicestershire and Rutland on 462 points and Nottinghamshire on 452 points. In the Boy’s match the Derbyshire team finished fourth.
Five AVEAC girls were in action and all contributed significantly to the overall victory. Isobel Weller scored maximum points winning the Speed Bounce with a great score of 55 ‘bounces’, five ahead of her Derbyshire team mate, Ava-Belle Toogood. Isobel was also in good form in the Javelin with her best throw of 12 metres which placed her second.
Summer Biggs also scored maximum points in the Standing Triple Jump with an excellent leap and personal best of 6 metres exactly, thirty centimetres in front of Lincolnshire’s Eva Goulsbra. Ruby Arnold took part in the Standing Triple Jump as well and just missed a top three spot finishing fourth with 5.32 metres. In the Balance Test Summer finished seventh overall while Aimee Brackenbury was one place behind in eighth.
The ‘Fun’ element in this age group came to the fore with the teams contesting nine relay events. The AVEAC girls were involved in five of the relays with Isla Douglas, our fifth member of the team, taking part in three of them. Isla and Isobel Weller joined forces in a six lap Parlauf race and judged their pace excellently to take first place in a close encounter with Leicestershire and Rutland who were just a second behind the Derbyshire duo. Isla and Summer Biggs were part of the 4 x 1 Lap team that also finished in pole position ahead of Nottinghamshire in a blanket finish; one tenth of a second separating the two neighbouring counties. In the Over and Under Relay, Aimee Brackenbury and Ruby Arnold played their part recording another victory for the Derbyshire team. Isla and Ruby were also involved in the Hurdles relay placing fourth while Summer was part of the 4 x 1 Lap quartet that finished 2nd to Lincolnshire in another close finish.
Four AVEAC Boys were part of the Under 11 team that ended up fourth overall. Charlie Davies was the winner of the Standing Triple Jump registering a distance of 6.12m while Jacob Adams placed third in the Vertical Jump and fifth in the Javelin. Archie Kerton was fifth in the Standing Long Jump and seventh in the Balance Test and our final representative Marcus Parsons- Loades was ninth in the Balance Test and tenth in the Standing Triple Jump.
Charlie Davies who has been outstanding in the short sprints during this season’s Derbyshire Mini League matches played a significant role in the success of the the Derbyshire Boy’s relay teams. He combined with Osniel Segal (Derby AC) to won the 1 x 1 lap relay in a blanket finish, a tenth of a second in front of runners up Nottinghamshire. In the 6 Lap Parlauf, Charlie and Osniel, finished second with Nottinghamshire reversing the placings in another closely contested race. There was another second place for Charlie in the 4 x 2 Lap relay which also featured Archie Kerton. In the Over and Under Relay, Archie and Jacob Adams did their part to ensure a further second place for Derbyshire while Jacob and Marcus Parsons -Loades were part of the Obstacle Relay team that finished third.
Under 13s
The Derbyshire U13 Girl’s team emerged as winners in their match with a final score of 684 points ahead of Leicestershire and Rutland on 653. Madeleine Turner and Jasmine Shore were our representatives on the team and both performed with distinction. Madeleine ran an outstandingly well paced race to come home first in the 6 Lap Run. Her excellent time of 1:20.8 minutes had almost five seconds to spare on Leicestershire and Rutland’s Freya Stuart. She then combined with Imogen Hamilton to take the 8 Lap Parlauf relay in 1:43.1 seconds. In the field Madeleine claimed fourth spot in the Standing Triple Jump to complete a very good day’s work.
Jasmine Shore ended up 5th in the Standing Long Jump and went on to run sharpish legs in the both the 4 x 1 lap and 4 x 2 Lap relays which gave the Derbyshire team maximum points in the short race and second place in the longer one.
Five AVEAC Boy’s were in action in the U13 match and all contributed an outstanding set of performances which led to the team emulating the girls and becoming outright champions. Riley Jones won the Standing Long Jump with a best effort of 2.29 metres; he placed second in the 6 Lap Run and ran a solid leg in the 4 x 2 Lap relay which saw the Derbyshire team finish second. In the 8 Lap Parlauf, Corey Fisher and Derby’s Timi Omotara ran a good tactical race to outdo Leicestershire and Rutland in the final stages to won by a couple of metres. Corey went on to finish second in the 4 Lap Run and placed fourth in the Standing Triple Jump.
Ryan Ghai claimed two individual podium positions with a second place in the 2 Lap Run and third in the Vertical Jump and was also on the 4 x 2 Lap relay along with Riley that placed second. Joe Moss recorded 2.18 metres in the Standing Long Jump to finish fourth and gained first places in two relays, the 4 x 1 Lap and the Obstacle Relay. Alfie Ray was also part of the winning Obstacle Relay and individually scored valuable points with a sixth place in the Speed Bounce and seventh place in the 4 Lap Run.
By virtue of their winning performances both Derbyshire U13 Boy’s and Girl’s teams will represent the East Midlands at the UK National Sports Hall Finals which will take place in Stoke on Sunday 1st April.
Under 15s
In the U15 Boys match Seb Banks and Jack Moss were AVEAC’s representatives on the Derbyshire Team while Isobelle Protheroe was our only girl member in action. The Boy’s team finished second overall while the girl’s were third.
Seb and Jack contested three individual events and one relay. Seb did well to finish second overall in the Speed Bounce and scored well in both the 4 Lap Run and Standing Long Jump placing fourth and tenth. In the 8 Lap Parlauf, Seb and Aaron Kurian (Chesterfield) finished in third place.
Jack Moss was seventh in the 2 Lap Run, 9th in the Standing Long Jump and tenth in the Shot. He also ran in the 4 x 1 Lap relay where the Derbyshire team crossed the finish in second.
In the Girl’s match Isobel’s best performance came in the Shot with a seventh place finish; she was ninth in the Standing Long Jump and tenth in the 4 Lap Run.
The regional final was excellently organised and Master of Ceremonies Adam Burgess was his usual whirling and enthusiastic self, keeping everything moving along at breakneck speed. Of course it goes without saying that events like this would not go ahead if it wasn’t for the support and dedication of officials behind the scenes who coach, administer and team manage the young athletes. AVEAC officers, Julie Feeney, Richard Woodward and Danny Humphrey are to be thanked for the role they play along with volunteers from the Derby, Chesterfield and High Peak clubs. A big thank you as well to all the parents who attended the event to support their children and Team Derbyshire.
All roads now lead to Stoke where next Sunday our U13 athletes will combine with their Derbyshire team mates to take on teams from all the English Regions plus representatives from N. Ireland and Wales. We wish them well!
Credits
Report – Joe McColgan
Photos – Julie Feeney and Richard Woodward
Summer Biggs also scored maximum points in the Standing Triple Jump with an excellent leap and personal best of 6 metres exactly, thirty centimetres in front of Lincolnshire’s Eva Goulsbra. Ruby Arnold took part in the Standing Triple Jump as well and just missed a top three spot finishing fourth with 5.32 metres. In the Balance Test Summer finished seventh overall while Aimee Brackenbury was one place behind in eighth.