Sportshall podiums for West Norfolk teams

West Norfolk had two teams and one individual on the podium following the last event of the series in the Sportshall Athletics League.A competition spread across three matches, the first two being held at Norwich UEA, and the last meeting took place at Alive Lynnsport.Places are allocated for the overall series with all three scores from each league match added together.Sportshall is an indoor competition where athletes aged between 8 and 15 compete in a variety of track and field disciplines, such as running, jumps, throws and relays.The under-11 boys fought valiantly all series and finished in a very respectable fifth on the day.With only three participating in the middle match, they were up against it to medal going into the last match with a full team.Debutant Mason Napthen finished ninth in the two-lap hurdles in 30.2sec, an excellent fifth in the triple jump with 4.42m and ninth in chest push with 4.25m. Jacob Green, one of the youngest competitors, performed brilliantly in the tough four-lap finishing in 13th, 60sec and was sixth in the speed bounce 39 jumps and 12th in chest push with 2.75m. A Arthur Hollingsworth was only two seconds off the lead runner finishing fifth in the two-lap hurdles in 26.7sec and 11th in the triple jump with 4.08m.Riley Gray was 11th in the two-lap 29.2sec, ninth in the long jump, 1.4m, and fifth in the foam javelin with 11m.James Watts was first in the four-lap, 53.3sec, second in the two-lap, 27.9, second in the speed bounce with 45 jumps and fifth in the vertical jump 36cm. Duncan Roney was 13th in the two-lap, 36.1sec, 11th in the long jump, 1.33m, and 11th in the foam javelin, 5.5m.The boys also took part in two replays, 4×1 lap, Roney, Watts, Gray and Hollingsworth, fifth in 54.6sec. In the obstacle relay, Watts, Green, Napthen and Hollingsworth were fourth in 85.4sec.The U11 girls finished fifth on the day but with an almighty third overall. The third match saw a full team, which made all six eligible to take home silverware.There were two debutants in Mollie Workman and Mila Cawthorne.Workman was 15th in the two-lap, 35.7sec and sixth in the foam javelin, 6.5m.Cawthorne was 13th in the two-lap, 29.8 and 14th in the speed bounce, 35 jumps. Jessica Watts was seventh in the four-lap, 57.2sec, ninth in the long jump, 1.50m, and seventh in the chest push, 4m.Kacey Gray added some vital points and was 10th in the two-lap, 31sec, 13th in the long jump, 1.33m, and eighth in the foam javelin, 4m.Sofia Gilboy was fourth in the two-lap, 25.9sec, fourth in the triple jump, 4.86m, and first in the chest push, 6.75m.Teagan Thorne was 13th in the four-lap, 62.7sec, seventh in the triple jump, 4.44m, and 10th in the speed bounce, 37 jumps. The girls also took part in two relays 4×1 lap, Watts, Gray, Workman and Cawthorne, were sixth, 58.8sec. In the obstacle relay, Gilboy, Thorne, Workman and Cawthorne, were fifth in 95.5sec.The U13 boys finished second on the day and third overall in the series.Matas Petreikis was fifth in the two-lap, 23.6sec, third in the four-lap, 51.3sec, and first in both the long jump, 2.25m, and vertical jump 58cm.Luke Anderson claimed first places in the four-lap, 48.3sec, six-lap, 79sec, and shot, 7.99m. The ever-present Wilf Gosnell was ninth in the vertical jump, 38cm and seventh in the speed bounce, 64 jumps.Rhys Howard was 11th in the two-lap, 25.8sec, and eighth in the speed bounce, 59 jumps.Henry Frary was fifth in the shot, 6.55m and eighth in the triple jump, 5.38m.Samuel Howard was eighth in the six-lap, 92.6sec and ninth in the long jump, 1.88m. In the relays, 4×2 lap, Howard, Howard, Anderson and Frary were third, 100.8sec.In the obstacle relay, Howard, Howard, Gosnell and Frary were fourth in 85sec.After not having a team in the first two matches of the series, it was lovely to see Rose Harpley, Keely Thorne and Ella Cooper join forces and compete in their first-ever Sportshall event.Debutant Harpley was ninth in the triple jump, 4.76m, 10th in the speed bounce, 50 jumps, and fifth in the shot, 5.53m. Thorne was 13th in the two-lap, 28.1sec, 11th in the long jump, 1.63m, 10th in the vertical jump, 4.66m and 10th in the vertical jump, 29cm.Cooper was 10th in the four-lap, 59.5sec, 9th long jump 1.73m, ninth in the vertical jump, 33cm and eighth in the speed bounce, 56 jumps.The girls also took part in the relays where Thorne and Cooper ran double legs respectively due to limited team numbers. 4×2 lap, fifth, 110.5, Obstacle relay, fourth, 87.6sec.The U15 boys and girls are identical to the U11 and U13 events but they compete on an individual basis.Aidan Howard, the only competitor for the U15 boys, was third overall, and he only took part in the shot for the last two matches due to injury but helped out with officiating.Myley Gilboy started strong in match one but was forced to pull out of the last two matches due to injury.Anya Faithorn was fifth overall on the day, finishing fifth in the two-lap, 23.3sec, seventh in the shot, 6.35m, sixth in the four-lap, 50.8sec, second in the vertical jump 54cm, and third in the long jump, 2.16m.It was great to see the athletes perform to the best of their ability and also bring home some silverware.Next month sees the Norfolk Sportshall County Championships at the UEA in Norwich.This follows a similar format but it’s a completely individual event. Entries can be made on the https://norfolksportshall.org.uk/ website.Thanks to all of the team managers, officials, parents, Sportshall committee and helpers, without these fantastic people events like this, would not be possible.