Hunts AC captured a fine haul of 23 gold medals at Cambs County Championships last Saturday.
No-one was more impressive at the Embankment Track, in Peterborough, than Shannon Flockhart, who roared to a middle-distance double in the Under 17 Women’s section.
She set two new club records, a new county record and shot up to fourth in the national rankings when clocking 2.12.9 in the 800m and followed up a few hours later with a 4.42.99 to claim a comfortable 1,500m triumph. She’s also up to 20th in the national list for that event.
The number 13 certainly isn’t unlucky for sprint prospect Lizzy Harrison. That’s how many Hunts AC records she holds after clocking 13.77 in her heat of the Under 13 Girls’ 100m.
Harrison followed up another fine performance in the final to capture the county title and later added the 200m prize to her collection. Her sprint wins sandwiched another triumph in the long jump to rise into the top 20 in the country in that event.
Owen King was another Hunts star to collect a sprint double. He won the 100m and 200m in the Under 20 Men’s category as he settles back into action after missing all of 2016 through injury.
There was also 100m glory for Joe Purbrick in the Under 15 Boys’ bracket – although he didn’t realise he had got the verdict until the medal presentation.
Purbrick completed a double in the 80m hurdles on a day when he had his first-ever competitive races in that event.
Macy Taylor also prevailed in a tight finish as she won the 80m hurdles final at Under 13 level to add to a bronze gained over 100m.
Daisy Coulson-Bascombe took Under 13 Girls’ 800m glory as part of a medal hat-trick. She also won silver in the 200m and bronze in the long jump.
Ella Reed took Under 15 Girls’ gold in just her second triple jump competition, while Conall McGinness led from start to finish in the Under 17 Men’s 800m.
Liam Hunt was another athlete to collect two titles as he won the 400m and 110m hurdles at Senior Men’s level, and there was also plenty of success in the field.
Emily Hart took discus and shot putt golds at Under 13 Girls level while Tamzin Digpal-Race dominated the javelin and high jump in the same category.
Sisters Eleanor (1.75m, Under 17 Women) and Emma Phipps (1.50m, Under 15 Girls) won pole vault gold medals on a day when neither had any opponents.
Tracy Burton captured three medals in the throws, taking the Senior Women’s hammer with a 21.02m personal best and taking bronze in both the discus and shot putt. Penny Butcher took the high jump at the age of 58.
Hunts AC weren’t the only locals to enjoy medal success at the event - two Ernulf Academy pupils are also celebrating Cambridgeshire honours.
Iona Newbegin and Lewis Smith, who both attend the St Neots school, captured titles when representing their Bedford & County club.
Newbegin completed a sprint double with 100m and 200m successes in the Under 15 Girls age group with personal bests of 12.74 and 25.93 respectively.
Smith also scooped two medals as he struck gold in the Under 17 Men’s 400m (52.36) and earned silver in the 200m (24.15).
Riverside Runners’ duo Gary Evans and Mike Taylor both picked up silver medals.
Evans was second in the Under 20 Men’s 1,500m (4.35.8) while Taylor was runner-up in the Senior Men 5,000m, in 16.24.
Clubmate William Forster struck gold at the Bedford County Championships when winning the Under 20 Men’s 800m in 1.59.2.
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