AS THINGS gradually get back to normal, certainly in terms of track and field, members of Stratford Athletic Club are very fortunate to live in relative close proximity to The Pingles Stadium in Nuneaton, which is currently at the forefront of organising competitions in the UK.
At the Midlands Open event, the club had 13 members competing, many of whom claimed personal bests and who saw their performances rewarded with high placings in the current UK rankings.
In the 100m, U15 runner Charlie Whorrod won his heat in a personal best time of 12.22 which places him just outside the top 50 in the current UK rankings for his age group.
At the other end of the age spectrum, M60 Mark Illingworth ran a time of 14.60. Illingworth is currently ranked sixth in the UK for his age.
In the 400m Dave Battersby ran a season’s best time of 58.05 which ranks him 15th in the UK for his age.
In the M50 age category Dave Wilson ran a PB time of 63.95, placing him 16th in the current UK rankings.
Finally, Imogen Sheppard, arguably the club’s hardest working track athlete at the present time, ran a time of 58.62. Sheppard is just outside the top 20 in the current UK rankings.
The 800m saw a sensational run from U17 Caleb Spriggs who recorded a huge 11-second PB in finishing with a time of 2:06.55.
Not to be outdone by big brother, his sister Maisie-Joy also ran a PB with a time of 2:38.17 and Emily Field completed a trio of 800m runners in recording a season’s best time of 2:19.03.
Four of the club’s members competed in the 1,500m. U15 Alex Adams won his heat by some 11 seconds to record a time of 4:23.61 which places him sixth in this year’s UK rankings for his age.
U15 Niamh Hillard’s time of 5:14.69 was a seven-second improvement on just a week earlier and it is a time which places her just outside the top 50 in the UK for her age.
U17 Taylor Stubbins continues to go from strength to strength and ran an almost eight-second PB with a time of 4:27.49.
This time sees him enter the current top 100 in the UK in the hugely competitive U17 age category. Another member of the club to achieve a PB was Charlotte Marshall, who recorded a time of 5:16.24.
Finally, Paula Williams competed in a couple of field events. In the shot put her throw of 11.20m was just 13cm shy of her PB. She is currently ranked second for her age in the UK.
In the javelin, in which Williams is currently ranked number one in her age category for both this year and also on the all-time list, she threw 31.78m.
Meanwhile, in an open event at Charnwood, Olivia Robinson ran a PB time of 2:29.56 in the 800m.
