Clemons claims Midlands combined events crown - The Stratford Observer

Clemons claims Midlands combined events crown

Stratford Editorial 13th Mar, 2019   0

FRESH from his under 15 hurdles triumph at the England Indoor Championships, Freddie Clemons returned to Sheffield to compete in the England Indoor U15 & U17 Combined Events Championships and emerged as Midlands champion.

Combined events is a tough competition for athletes and, without a lot of consistent work all year round to reach their best performances at the top level in major championships, particularly in the technical events and carrying an injury inflicted playing rugby, it is even tougher in top level competitions, as Stratford AC’s Clemons found out.

A good run in the 60m hurdles in a time of 8.96 got him off to a good start, but a high jump of 1.53m, a long jump of 4.97m followed by a best throw in the shot of 7.84m were relatively under-par by Clemons’ normal standards.

He fought his way round the 800m in a PB of 2:24.06 to finish eighth overall.




Although he was disappointed with his final position and despite not firing on all cylinders, he still scored a PB of 2,296, which was enough to see him crowned Midlands champion.

Charlotte Gravelsons competed in the U17 girls’ pentathlon and finished with an indoor personal best of 2,282.


The 60m hurdles run of 10.83 was a solid start, although time was lost on a big wobble that she managed to recover from. Her high jump was well down on her training and she finished with a best jump of 1.29m.

Putting that disappointment behind her and with a typical positive attitude, she pushed hard at the next events, getting a 53cm PB in the shot with 8.87m and a 9cm PB in the long jump with 4.17m. A steady run of 2:45.13 in the 800m moved her up to 43rd place.

Still smiling at the end of a tiring day, Gravelsons said: “Overall it was a great day and I really enjoyed it and learnt a lot from it.”

U13 Tom Weaver took a trip to the south coast to get some early-year throws competition at the Brighton & Hove AC open throws meeting.

Despite competing in difficult throwing conditions with up to 43kph wind gusts and the rain pouring down, he finished first in the javelin with a distance of 30.78m. He also finished first in the shot with 6.39m.

Report by Paul Bearman.

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