A total of 100 personal bests were smashed in the June fixture of the Midland division of the National Junior Athletics League, held at the Telford Athletics Stadium recently.
The league division sees Telford AC face off against City of Stoke, Derby AC, Wolverhampton & Bilston AC, Tamworth AC and Team Arrows. The Junior League is for athletes in the under-20 age group.
The best performance of the day for Telford was probably the 4×400m relay team, consisting of James Wilkins, Phil Shotton, Ben Riekstins and Tobi Birtwhistle.
After an excellent first leg run by James Wilkins, Phil Shotton took the lead early on the second leg and ran a very fast 400m.
The team continued to pull away from its closest rival, Wolverhampton, after a spectacular run by Ben Riekstins on third leg forging a gap between Telford and the rest that would prove impossible to overcome.
The race finished with Shropshire’s best young 400m runner Tobi Birtwhistle finishing streaks ahead of the rival relay teams for the win.
The 100m featured two highly celebrated athletes, Liam Clowes of City of Stoke, and Doniel Dennis of Wolverhampton.
Clowes is currently ranked number one in his age group in the UK for 200m, and Dennis ran in the World Youth Games last year in the 100m.
Clowes won the race in 10.9 seconds, followed closely by Judah Simpson of Derby who ran a Lifetime Best of 11.0. Dennis was third with 11.0, with Telford’s fastest sprinter finishing fourth with 11.1.
The B-race was won by one of Telford’s brightest young sport stars Mitchell Jenderko, who achieved his own lifetime best of 11.4. The win was even more incredible because Mitchell is just 14 years old, competing against under-20s.
Telford had a clean sweep in the women’s 800m, with Jessica Bailey winning the A-race by a huge margin, and Chloe Murphy winning the B-race. Their times were 2 minutes 24.8 seconds, and 2 minutes 40 seconds respectively. Chloe showed great versatility by also winning the 3,000m, and competing in the javelin.
Another clean sweep for Telford was in the men’s javelin, where Danny Baeriswyl and Rob Miller both threw further than all other competitors.
They threw 44.74 and 44.17, both almost three metres ahead of the competition.
Bethan Partridge of Telford, an English School’s gold medallist, effortlessly won the high jump, jumping 1.73 metres, almost 20cm higher than her closest competitor. Bethan also won the triple jump with a new Lifetime Best of 11.92, again beating her nearest rival by a huge margin.
Congratulations to the many Telford athletes who gained new personal bests, and well done to the multitude of athletes who put in tremendous effort for Telford athletic club.
Athletes chosen to represent the Telford AC junior team were:
800m Chris Carter, James Wilkins, Jessica Bailey, Chloe Murphy; 1,500m- James Wilkins; 3,000m Chloe Murphy; 400m Tobi Birtwhistle, Ben Riekstins; 400m hurdles Phil Shotton, Malcolm Dawes, Lucy Ferguson, 200m Tobi Birtwhistle, Santino Dummett, Sophie Worrall, Lucy Ferguson. 100m Santino Dummett, Mitchell Jenderko, Laura Gibbons; High Jump Malcolm Dawes, Bethan Partridge, Sophie Worrall, Pole Vault David Samuels; Long Jump Mitchell Jenderko, Malcolm Dawes, Sophie Worrall, Laura Gibbons; Triple Jump Bethan Partridge, Shotputt- Alessandro Dummett, Ed Dawes, Amelia Reynolds, Bethan Partridge; Discus Alessandro Dummett, Ed Dawes, Amelia Reynolds, Jade Fletcher; Hammer Danny Baeriswyl, Amelia Reynolds, Jade Fletcher; Javelin Danny Baeriswyl, Robert Miller, Amelia Reynolds, Chloe Murphy.
There is a busy schedule coming up over the summer for the Telford athletes.
On July 4, the Midland League will see Telford AC’s best senior athletes compete for points against other Midland clubs. Look out for Sean Saxon 2009 European over 40 gold medallist at 110m hurdles.
Later in the month on July 19, the McCain UK Young Athlete’s League features athletes in the under 13 to under 17 age groups with 400m runner James Wilkins one to watch.
On August 2, the Midland League Division 6, hosted by Shrewsbury AC but being run at the Telford track takes place. Look out for Andy Jones who will be competing in the long jump and 100m.
And the last meeting of the season is The Telford Games. The event is an open athletics meeting at the Telford track which can be entered by anyone.
Superb athletes from all over the country can be seen at the games, with Birmingham’s top athletic club often sending its best sprint squad.
Anyone interested in joining Telford AC, to perform competitively or just to keep fit, are welcome down at the track on a Tuesday or Thursday from 6.30pm - 7.30pm.
Ask to speak to Verone Wilkinson or Margaret Cooper. People with any skill level are accepted, and the best will be picked to represent the club at the various competitions it competes in.
The track is at Oakengates Leisure Centre, New Road, Telford, TF2 7AB.
