ATHLETICS: More success for the Hunts AC medal marvels at Eastern Counties Championships

Hunts AC medal-winners at the Eastern Counties Championships from the left, Ella Reed, Ayo Opaleye and Lizzy Harrison. Picture: WAYNE DUBOSE (Image: Archant)

Under 15 Boys triple-jump talent Ayo Opaleye and Under 15 Girls long-jump star Ella Reed both struck gold at a sun-baked Embankment Track in Peterborough last Saturday.

Opaleye leaped to 12.12m as he followed up Cambridgeshire County Championships, Cambridgeshire Schools’ Championships and Anglian Schools’ Championships triumphs this season.

Reed produced a 4.74m effort to seal her own gold medal hat-trick in 2018 and also added silver in the triple jump with 9.48. The busy Reed finished fifth in the 100m in 13.50 as well.

Lizzy Harrison took bronze in that Under 15 Girls 100m event when clocking 12.83. She had been even quicker, 12.71, in the heats when setting new club record for her own age group as well as Under 17 Women and Under 20 Women – no mean feat at the age of 13.

Joe Purbrick climbed to second in the national rankings when finishing as runner-up in the Under 15 Boys 80m hurdles. His 11.14 effort also smashed the previous Hunts AC best set in 2005 by Christian Roberts.

Purbrick was beaten by top-ranked athlete in the country – Freddie Fraser of Nene Valley Harriers – although the gap between the two of them is narrowing quickly.

Thrower Thomas Smith had a ‘field’ day with a trio of medals at Under 17 Men’s level. He earned silver in the hammer and bronze in discus and shot putt.

Hunts AC provided two shot putt medallists in the Under 13 Girls age group as Willow Bedding took silver with 8.34m and Tamzin Digpal-Race finished third (7.35m).

Alex Mortimer bagged bronze medals in the shot putt (5.10m) and 75m hurdles (16.44) at Under 13 Boys level. Other medals came from Katie Wright (second in Under 17 Women’s 300m hurdles, 54.1) and Moria Howard (third in Under 13 Girls long jump, 4.17m).