Athletics Double delight for Avon Schools teams at South West event

AVON Schools athletes competed in the South West Combined Events Championships in Yeovil with excellent results.

- 

The inter boys team and junior girls teams won their age groups and became the South West Champions and now qualify for the ESAA National Finals at Chelmsford in September.

While the inter boys' success was somewhat expected, the junior girls' triumph was a massive surprise.

Going into the last events of the octathlon and pentathlon, both teams were in second place but wonderful running by team members saw each team through.

The inter boys team made life difficult for themselves but excellent team spirit, grit and determination made all the difference.

Owen Boon (Bradley Stoke) ran a front-running 1500m in a 4:21.26 pb to win by 200 metres and secure victory, with Dan Webb (Mangotsfield) 5.00.48 pb, Jacob Sanchez-Fulton (Beechen Cliff) 4:53.53 pb and Josh Palmer (Churchill) 5:16.21 pb.

In the javelin, Dan suffered the nightmare of three no throws yet battled back to eighth place overall with six pbs out of the eight events. His pb in the hurdles of 13.9 secs was great to see.

In the same event, Owen threw two throws of more than 60 metres but both drifted out of the sector and he had to be satisfied with his safe 48m throw. His hurdles of 14.4secs was also a pb.