Colchester Harriers were represented at the prestigious English Schools Championships which took place Friday 8^th and Saturday 9^th July at Sportcity Manchester by three young athletes – all making their junior debuts. This is such an exciting event where so many future stars cut their teeth and find a taste for this brilliant sport.

Lyla Belshaw (Colchester County High School for Girls) will always be able to say she became a silver medallist in the Junior Girls 1500m 2022. Early Friday morning she stuck to her race plan to finish a strong second to automatically qualify through to the final on Saturday afternoon.  As the leader took out a strong start and pulled away from the pack,  Lyla kept her head and followed her instincts, showing a maturity above her years – having saved enough in the tank,  a fantastic last 300m saw her pull away from the others and significantly close the gap on the lead – and although unable to take the win,  in what was to become her fastest ever time and with it yet another Club Record of 4.29:16  – she was over joyed with her second place finish.

Recent signee Jadesola Fawehinmi (Colchester County High School for Girls) successfully negotiated her way into the semi-final of the Junior girls 100m in 12.71 – just shy of the Club Record of 12.7s she set back in June.  After a very long delay at the start which saw the girls hanging around, Jade’s nerves got the better of her, but once up and running she fought hard to maintain fourth place which was enough to secure her through to her first ever national final as the eighth fastest to qualify.   Still only a first year, this slight athlete, who is yet to master blocks, did herself proud to finish in seventh place with a weekend of very consistent races.

Nnaeto Eminike Obi (St Benedict’s Catholic College) only found out he had been selected for the Junior Boys Triple Jump competition two days before Team Essex travelled to Manchester and was therefore somewhat unprepared for his event – however he acquitted himself well and despite not being able to replicate his brilliant performance at Essex Schools where he broke the Club Record with a best of 12.16 – he finished this weekend in ninth place with a best of 11.69m