STRATFORD AC athletes Lewis Byng and Paula Williams both achieved impressive feats over the last week as the pair continued to dominate in their respective events.
Byng won his first senior title to be crowned British champion in the under-23 shot put at the English Athletics Senior Championships in Bedford.
The step up to senior competition is always tough, despite Byng’s record of wins in multi-age groups since under-17 level.
At just 20 years of age, using the 7.26kg shot, he took on pre-competition favourite Youcef Zatat from Woodford Green and Essex Ladies AC in a tough contest that saw the two athletes evenly matched throughout six rounds.
After a foul in the first round Byng took the initiative in the second with a throw of 18.25m and improved on that in the fourth with a winning throw of 18.40m to win gold by just 7cms.
Byng said: “It was the closest competition of my life and Youcef and I were neck and neck the whole way.
“I’m really happy to get my first senior title and now its rest time to recharge my batteries.”
And Williams has taken world lead status in V50 shot put after a throw of 13.25m shattered not only her personal best but the British record by a massive 62cms.
The British record was previously held by Carol Parker.
The competition, at the English Masters AA Inter Area Match in Nuneaton, saw Williams take the world number one ranking spot by just two centimetres from Camille Cayet of France.
