On Sunday 16th March, AVEACs young multi-eventer Summer Biggs, made the long journey up to Gateshead to compete in the North Eastern Counties Athletic Association’s Open Indoor Pentathlon. This was Summer’s final indoor appearance ahead of the outdoor track and field season commencing, and proved to be a fitting end, as she cruised to victory in the Under-13 Girls competition.
Up first for the field of ten athletes were the three field events, long jump, followed by high jump, and then shot put, with the two track events, 60m hurdles and the 60m sprint later in the afternoon. Summer was the last of the ten athletes to attempt her trials in the long jump but led the event from her very first jump. All three of Summer’s jumps would have been enough to secure her top spot, but her best of 4.58m came on her second trial. Having learnt from previous experience at competitions, Summer entered the high jump at a comfortable height of 1.19m, progressing through that and the subsequent rounds with first time clearances, before coming to what would have been a personal best height of 1.34. Unfortunately following three attempts at clearing this height Summer bowed out of the event in third place, with a best of 1.31m, just 2cm off her best. In her final field event, the shot put, Summer was again the last athlete to attempt her trials but again led the way from her first throw. Summer’s first two throws of 8.92m and 8.81m, would have comfortably given her first place in the event, but she saved her best for last, throwing 9.72m with her third attempt, to lead the field by just shy of 3m.
Therefore, at the ‘halfway point’ and heading into the track events, Summer had racked up 1,378 points, giving her a lead of 326 points over her nearest competitor.
As the afternoon progressed, the competition moved over to the track, with the 60m hurdles up first. Summer competed in the second of the two 60m hurdles heats, where she recorded a new personal best time of 9.99 seconds, to come first in her heat, and second overall. This meant heading into the final event, Summer held a lead of 450 points over her competitors, all but confirming the top step of the podium for her. However, Summer being the competitor she is, still had another PB to chase as she headed to the start of the 60m sprint. Running in the second and quickest of the two heats, Summer powered her way to first place, crossing the line in a new personal best time of 8.73 seconds.
This first place finish in her final event gave Summer a total of 2,729 points, secured her the top step of the podium by 511 points. All in all, a cracking days’ work for Summer, as she headed back down the A1 no doubt exhausted, but with two new personal best performances, and a first-place trophy. Congratulations Summer.
