AN astonishing hammer throw by Hunts AC’s Jonathan Edwards was the highlight of a good Cambridgeshire Athletics Championship for the St Ives based club.

Nineteen-year-old Edwards’ gold medal throw of 57.46 metres was not only 20 metres further than the silver medalalist could manage on Saturday – it was also better than Edwards’ own previous Hunts AC hammer record by a metre.

The club picked up five gold medals, five silvers and three bronzes at the event, held at Peterborough’s Embankment Stadium, with Jonathan and his sister Chloe, who was 25 on the day, the undoubted stars for Hunts AC.

Jonathan’s brilliant hammer throw was the UK’s 22nd furthest this year and he also scooped the gold in the discus, beating his Nene Valley Harrier opponent Martin Tinkler to the top prize by more than four metres with a throw of 45.90, the 20th best throw in the UK this year, just 60 centimetres off Hunts AC’s 27-year club record.

Although hampered by a long-term shoulder injury, Edwards also picked up the bronze in the shot putt.

Meanwhile, Chloe won the gold in the women’s shot putt and a silver in the discus to complete a five-medal haul for Team Edwards. The pair are coached by their father John.

Another throwing gold medal came from 13-year-old club newcomer Diana Pereira. Having only signed up for Hunts AC two months ago, and never having thrown the hammer previously, Pereira is now the girls’ under-15s county champion after winning her competition by two metres. As well as breaking the club’s record, Pereira added four metres to her previous best. She then picked up a silver medal in the discus.

The fifth gold medal came from Tom Johnson who, despite recently missing many weeks of training because of an injury, stormed to a comfortable two-second victory in the final of the men’s under-20s 400 metres.

Also in that age group, Ryan Palmer got his season off to an excellent start with a silver medal in the 100 metres. In the women’s under-20s 1,500 metre final, 17-year-old Eleanor Smith took another significant step in her development by beating her one month-old personal best by a huge 16 seconds for a silver medal. Her time of 4 minutes 59.88 seconds was the fastest Hunts AC time in six months.

Another female middle-distance runner to rise to the occasion was 15-year-old Rebecca Pedley, who beat her 800 metres best by over three seconds to claim the bronze in the women’s under-17s 800 metres. Molly Gregorious won silver in the girls’ under-15s pole vault, while Dani Hazelden made a big breakthrough, winning the bronze in the girls’ under-15s 100 metres final.

Results

Senior Men: Discus 1 Jonathan Edwards 45.90; Hammer 1 Jonathan Edwards 57.46 (Club Record); Shot Putt 3 Jonathan Edwards 12.51; High Jump 5 Richard Phelan 1.50; Senior Women: Discus 2 Chloe Edwards 32.78; Shot Putt 1 Chloe Edwards 11.52; U13 Boys: 800m 4 Oliver Pocklington 2:41.76; U13 Girls: 100m (Heat 1) 5 Amelia Cantwell 15.2; 200m (Heat 2) 7 Lauren Stokes 33.6; 70m Hurdles Final 6; Harriet Bruce 15.46; 800m 9 Megan Wilson 3.25.45; High Jump 5 Harriet Bruce 1.15, 9 Megan Wilson 0.90; Long Jump 7 Amelia Cantwell 3.05; Shot Putt 9 Megan Wilson 3.65; U15 Boys: 100m (Heat 1) 2 Elliott Harris 13.25; 200m (Heat 1) 4 Elliott Harris 27.6; 1500m 8 James Barkshire 5.06.47; High Jump 6 Elliott Harris 1.20; U15 Girls: 100m 3 Dani Hazelden 13.78, 100m Heat 2 (W/S +2.4) 5 Isobel Hopkins 14.47, 100m Heat 3 (W/S +2.4) 4 Molly Gregorious 14.97; 300m Heat 1 3 Dani Hazelden 48.83; 1500m 6 Polly Smith 5:26.89, 12 Amelia Darnell 6:01.68; Discus 2 Diana Pereira 19.89, 11 Chloe Wilson 9.86; Hammer 1 Diana Pereira 26.75 (Club Record), 5 Chloe Wilson 11.58; Javelin 7 Molly Gregorious 12.20; Long Jump Final 5 Isobel Hopkins 4.02; Pole Vault 2 Molly Gregorious 1.40; Shot Putt 7 Diana Pereira 7.38, 14 Chloe Wilson 5.47; U17 Men: 100m (W/S +0.8) 6 Fred Williams 12.09; 200m 4 Fred Williams 25.0; U17 Women: 800m 3 Rebecca Pedley 2.28.81

U20 Men: 100m Final (W/S +0.2) 2 Ryan Palmer 11.07 (10.90w in heats); 400m 1 Thomas Johnson 52.09; U20 Women: 1500m 2 Eleanor Smith 4.59.88.

THE Club’s veterans were also in Peterborough, for their second Eastern Vets League meeting, and it was Sharron Kenyon who was athlete of the meet, taking part in four events and winning all of them.

Kenyon was even part of the women’s 4x400 metres relay team (with Hannah Stirley, Sarah Peatman and Sandra Pedley) that established a new club record.