STRATFORD-upon-Avon Athletic Club retained the Warwickshire Vase at the Warwickshire County Championships for a seventh successive year.
Some 120 Stratford athletes descended upon Pingles Stadium in Nuneaton competing against teams from Birmingham, Rugby, Solihull and Coventry.
And Stratford topped the lot to retain the Warwickshire Vase trophy for a seventh year in a row as the club’s athletes came away with 51 medals – 10 gold, 26 silver and 15 bronze.
Warwickshire County Athletics Association meeting organiser, Ray Morgan, said: “The Warwick Vase is awarded to the WCAA club which scores the most points over two days of County Championships action.
“Stratford won it for the first time in 2016 and have retained it since then and scored a terrific points total of 640 to win this year’s Vase.
“They were 141 points clear of their nearest rivals Rugby and Northampton, well done to all of the Stratford athletes and their coaches and thank you to all the club officials who helped over the two days.”
Stratford’s medallists and finalists were spread right across the age groups and events which included sprint, middle and long distance races as well as jumping and throwing events.
The outstanding individual performance of the Championships came from under-15 runner Annie Silvers who won gold in both the 800m and 1500m and took silver in the 75m hurdles.
And Stratford’s Vicky Sharpe earned valuable points as she won the grueling senior 2000m steeplechase.
The under-13 boys produced a stunning one-two-three in the hurdles as Billy Sheppard won gold ahead of Kipp Stevens and Stan Peters whilst Stevens went on to win gold in the 1500m.
Stratford won two gold’s in the triple jump as Ruby Edwards won the under-17 event with a jump of 9.97m whilst she also won bronze in the long jump with a leap of 4.77m.
And Elfric McKenzie won the under-15 triple jump event with a best jump of 10.33m whilst under-13 athlete Henry Sims won long jump gold with a leap of 3.95m.
Stratford medalled across a range of throwing events as Issy Newton took under-20 shot put gold with a throw of 7.99m and Paula Williams won the senior shot with a throw of 11.18m.
And 13 Stratford youngsters competed in a Quadkids multi event competition which saw them take on the 75m, 600m, howler and long jump.
Stratford’s head track and field coach, Paul Bearman, said: “We are thrilled to win the Warwick Vase again, to win it for the first time in 2016 was a long held target but to win it seven times on the bounce shows what a great club we have.
“The coaching team are incredibly proud of the club’s athletes but it’s a team effort and it couldn’t happen for the athletes, who have all contributed to the club’s success, without the volunteer coaches unstinting support week in week out all year.
“A huge thanks also to our officials who were on their feet and on the go over the weekend.”
