Four Team Kennet athletes competed at the English National Schools Final in Birmingham on 9th/10th July.
Jack Hatton coasted his heat comfortably (11.72) with the first 3 to qualify. The semi’s were a different story with most competitors being within 0.3 of each other. I predicted that Jack would come second or third in this race to qualify for the final. All appeared to be going to plan until hurdle six. The Athlete who was next to Jack hit this hurdle full on and stumbled into Jack. Both of them could not recover, running 11.9 a piece and coming fifth and sixth. Jack as you can imagine was not happy. He apologised later at the ‘ice cream van’! “This always happens to me” he said. Jack is ok and is hungry for further competitions to prove himself. The Nationals are at Bedford on August 22nd!
Bertie Lewis was in his ’swan song year’. Was he at long last going to get a medal? He qualified easily. But yet again in low 55’s which he can trot out to infinity. We knew that to medal he was going to have to run mid 54’s or better. The draw for the final was excellent, having been given the lane inside Ashley Fry. I told Bertie to sit on him for as long as he could. Derek he did just that, coming off the last bend he was lying third. But yet again was caught on the line to finish fourth. His time 54.53 was a huge pb and I am very proud of him. He was very disappointed but he did and produced his very best.
Isobel MacHattie was really disappointed in her throw of 30.09m in the javelin which was only enough for 12th place but I am certain we will see more of her as she is in the younger year of the Junior Girls age group.
Katherine Alexander, who has now moved on from Team Kennet to find higher grade competitions, was 3rd in the javelin with throw of 36.13m
Saturday's weather is forecast to be light rain.
