Debut Indoor Champs Brings New Club Record

Three of Harriers young aspiring Sprinters took on the challenge of the English Age Group Championships at the EIS in Sheffield on Saturday 25 & Sunday 26 February.

Having gained the necessary qualifying times in the past 12 months they were then drawn against the best of England’s talent to fight it out for podium places.

Expectations were high for the first green vest, 16 year old Callum McKay, who two years ago was crowned U15 60m Champion at the same competition.  Fresh from the Scottish Championships where he claimed a silver medal, McKay’s heat saw him edge his way into second place in a time of 7.25s to gain a place in one of the Semi’s.  However 2017 wasn’t to be his year as he was denied a place in the final after a fiercely fought race.

Sunday 26th saw 17 year old 200m specialists Rebecca Jeggo and Charlie Dobson both compete in their first National Indoor Competition. Jeggo was up first in a tough heat pitted against the current English number one, as well as Welsh Champion and English schools champion. Tenacity shone through in a highly competitive battle to the line, which saw three competitors split by just 0.24s and which rewarded her with a new indoor PB and season’s best time of 25.07s and the last qualifying slot for the semi.

In one of the most anticipated competitions of the weekend the U20 men’s 200m competition, with talk of a new European Indoor record hoping to be set by an athlete from Manchester, Dobson had everything to gain, and despite being over taken on the last bend, Dobson held his head and drove to the line to claim a good second position and all important qualifying place for the semi.  His time of 22.06s claiming a new PB and also breaking his own Club Record set at the South of England Championships back in January.

Sadly neither Jeggo nor Dobson were able to improve on their heats with two fast semi’s proving too much for these first year U20’s.  But valuable experience was gained for all three athletes as they can now prepare for the start of an exciting outdoor season.