Matas leads the way for West Norfolk

Athletes from West Norfolk enjoyed the glorious sunshine at the UEA SportsPark in Norwich last weekend for two days of athletics at the County Championships.Olympian Sophie McKinna returned to the Shot Put circle, winning her 16th county title, as well guest discus thrower and Romanian international Alexandra Balthazar-Hall.The West Norfolk AC contingent was also out in force, producing some amazing performances once again.Under-13 Matas Petreikis won three county titles out of five events and posted podium finishes in the other two. Bec Johnson was crowned county champion once again in the hurdles and in the high jump with a personal best.Luke Anderson became county champion in the 300m as well as a podium finish in the 200m. Senior Alfie Williams claimed another county title in the shot along with silver in the discus. Second-claim Charlie Broad won the under-17 county title and set a new county record in the shot.Lily Edwards won county gold in the shot as did Cameron Ross in the 100m, 200m and long jump.Masters athletes Ben Collison, Adam Howard and Jen Gosnell cleaned up with no fewer than 10 county titles claimed across the throwing events between them.The annual festival of county athletics marks the start of what could prove to be a wonderful outdoor track and field season as West Norfolk athletes continue to go from strength to strength. The club thanked all the officials, volunteers and organisers for making the event a great success. Alongside the Norfolk event, the Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire championships also took place at the weekend.Thomas Green represented West Norfolk AC in Lincs and came away with three brilliant results as a first-year under-17. He timed 12.3 in the 100m, 26.35 in the 200m and won bronze in the long jump with 4.49.In Cambridgeshire, Elly and Isla Jackson had a successful outing with three golds and three personal bests.Isla broke the club’s under-17 triple jump record with 10.47 to move up to 40th in the UK rankings. Under-15 Elly posted 8.43 in the triple jump and 1.50 in the high jump to be ranked 36th in the UK.Last weekend, two of the club’s sprint specialists headed to the Southend Open.New member Liam O’Dell took part in both the 100m (13.15) and the 150m, where he set a new club record of 19.28. Under-15 Myley Gilboy followed suit with 14.12 in the 100m and a best of 21.42 in the 150m.Evie Clayton battled the heat at the Ipswich twilight 5km with a fantastic run of 21.20, putting her 66th on the UK rankings for 5k this year.Three West Norfolk AC endurance members represented the club in hot conditions. Carl Pickett was at Burghley House competing in the half marathon situated in the estate. Despite an undulating course and high temperatures, Pickett came away with an impressive sub-two hour time of 1hr54min21sec.Sunday saw temperatures rise even further as Neil Gayton took on the popular Dereham 10 miler hosted by Dereham AC, a relatively fast out and back course with a tough three-mile uphill finish.Gayton battled the heat to finish with a brilliant time of 1:09.45, a new personal best.Samantha Stringer was at Sunday’s Blackpool 10k, a scenic run up and down the famous promenade of Blackpool on closed roads. Stringer crossed the line with an impressive time of 48:06.West Norfolk results: Under-11: Arthur Hollingsworth – 80m, 4th 12.7sec. 600m, 5th 2min01.0sec. Under-13: Matas Petreikis – Long Jump, 1st 4.40. Pole Vault, 1st 1.90 pb. 75m Hurdles, 2nd 13.8. High Jump 1st, 1.45. 100m, 3rd 14.6. 200m, 4th 30.2.James Watts – 1,500m, 2nd 4.56.4 pb, top 40 UK.Liam Allitt – 1,500m, 8th 5.31.1 pb.Rhys Howard – 100m, 4th 18.7 pb. Javelin 4th, 16.38 pb. Long Jump, 7th, 3.18 pb. Under-15: Luke Anderson – 300m, 1st 40.0. 100m, 3rd 13.1 heat 2, 5th 12.9 final. 200m, 2nd 25.7 pb. Shot Put 2nd, 7.68.Aiden Howard – Long Jump, 4th 4.23 pb. 800m, 5th 2.34.1 pb.Wilf Gosnell – Discus, 3rd 14.58 pb. Javelin, 6th 20.07 pb.Henry Frary – Shot Put, 5th 6.81. Javelin, 7th 16.85. Under-17: Ethan Ward – 3,000m, 3rd 10.01.5.Charlie Broad – Shot Put, 1st 16.18, county record.Under-20: Alfie Bone – High Jump, 1st 1.65.Ed Murray – 5,000m, 2nd 17.21.9 pb. Seniors: Alfie Williams – Shot Put, 1st 15.12. Discus 2nd 37.79.Liam O’Dell – 200m, 3rd 27.5. 100m, 4th 12.8.Chris Elmer – 1,500m, 2nd 4,31.1.Cameron Ross – 100m, 1st 14.0. 200m, 1st 30.0. Long Jump, 1st 4.24. Senior M45: Adam Howard – Discus, 1st 18.34. Shot Put, 1st 7.06. Javelin, 1st 31.78.Senior M40: Ben Collison – Hammer, 1st 8.91. Discus, 1st 12.35. Shot Put, 1st 5.01. Javelin, 1st 14.22.Under-13: Sophie Gilboy – Shot Put, 3rd 6.33.Under-15: Myley Gilboy – 100m, 3rd 13.2 heat 2, 4th final 14.5. 200m, 5th 28.9. Shot Put, 5th 5.02.Under-17: Rebecca Johnson – 80m Hurdles, 1st 14.8. High Jump, 1st 1.40 pb.Anya Faithorn – Shot Put, 3rd 8.05. Javelin, 3rd 22.02. 100m, 6th 14.1.Senior F20: Lily Edwards – Shot Put, 1st 4.16.Seniors: Hannah Greenhalgh – 800m, 2nd 2.26.7.Lucy Edwards – Long Jump, 4th 4.88.Senior W40: Jen Gosnell – Discus, 1st 16.67. Shot Put, 1st 5.72. Javelin, 1st 14.52.