Shot-putter fifth at British Universities Championships

Senior West Norfolk Athlete Alfie Williams finished a brilliant fifth overall in the shot put competition at the British Universities Championships at Manchester last weekend.The qualifying for the shot put took place on Saturday morning with only the top 12 athletes from two pools making the final. Representing Loughborough University, Williams was throwing in Pool A.The rain and wind were relentless but despite the testing conditions, he made the top 12.The final took place later that same afternoon and not much improvement to the weather.All finalists were given three throws, but only the top eight were given an extra three in what proved to be a tense final. Williams is ranked as fifth U23 in the UK and came away with fifth place with a 13.88m put in the final.Despite his performance, Williams said he was disappointed to not better his PB performance from a few weeks ago but he would have needed that and then a bit more to have made fourth place or above. All of his three fellow team-mates finished in the top four with training partner Zac Davies from Harrow AC winning the gold.The Loughborough team went on to win the Championship trophy for the whole event by winning no fewer than 57 medals over the weekend of athletics. The medal haul beat last year’s tally by three medals. Williams returns to action in the Norfolk County Championships along with many West Norfolk AC athletes at the Sportspark in Norwich this coming weekend.East Anglian League match one took place at Peterborough two weeks ago but the Under 11 athletes were left off the original results sheets.Sofia Gilboy had a club record-breaking performance in the shot put with a 4.77m put. The previous record had stood for 29 years. Gilboy also ran in the 80m in 13.7sec. Poppy Roylance, ran in the 80m sprint in 14.1sec, and in the long jump 2.44m.James Walls, ran in the 80m sprint in 13.2sec, and in the 600m in 1m.57.1sec. Ollie Anderson, ran in the 80m in 14.3sec, and in the Long Jump leapt to 2.97m.Well done to all the athletes. Match two will take place at Lynn’s Alive Lynnsport.