Under 17 and Under 20 Youth Development League Report
Sunday 1st May saw the opening home fixture for Banbury Harriers in the Midlands Division 1 of the Youth Development League for U17/U20 athletes, amid very blustery and chilly conditions for the start of May. The weather may have been cold but the competition from the other teams was red hot.
Alfie Rowett produced two tremendous performances when storming home at the front of very strong fields to win both the U20M 100m and 200m in 10.7s and 21.8s respectively. In doing so he smashed the previous club 100m record set in 1998 by 0.2s and the 200m record by 0.3s. Not content with that he then set a 6m PB when coming second in the Javelin.
Michael Dawes had a clean sweep in the U20M field events with wins in the 6 kg Hammer in 48.08m, shot put, discus and B Javelin, gaining 3 PBs in the process. Charlie Shepherd threw PBs in the B shot for 2nd and 1st in the B Discus.
In his first league appearance newcomer U17M Ollie Sprio was 2nd in the 100m and 200m in 11.4s and 23.1s showing great future potential. Seb Hartwell ran a great 400m for second being beaten by the UK Number 1 and Charlie Yates jumped 5.59m for 2nd in the long jump. Louis Vale set a PB when 5th in the 200m, as did Matt Hall when 4th in the triple jump. In the 1500m Blaine Carpenter and Reuben Trotter ran solidly for 4th and 5th.
In the U17W Emily Thompson set a season’s best when winning a strong 1500m in 4m.57s and in the field Shannon Dawes won the Javelin. Lily Hamp ran a PB in the 300m for 3rd and Rebecca Scott was 2nd in the long jump. U20W Chloe Keen made a good debut for 3rd in the 300mh. The U17 4 x 300m relay of Rebecca Scott, Lily Hamp, Shannon Dawes and Emily Thomson then wrapped the day up with a new club record.
Felicity Dawes
