In a dramatic finish to the over 16 Schools International Pentathlon, Thaila-Jade Mason fought back to claim a brilliant bronze medal in Glasgow last weekend. But the 800m was not the only drama of the day for the 17year old Bedford & County athlete.

With the events taking place in an unusual order, she placed a lowly 13^th of 15 competitors after the shot, despite throwing a personal best of 9.37 metres. But there was drama in the 60m hurdles which almost proved calamitous. She was leading the field when she turned her ankle on landing from the fourth hurdle and limped across the line albeit in a still decent time of 9.16 seconds. For a while it looked as if she might have to withdraw from the competition, but there was no serious damage and she was able to continue.

Well done to everyone who ran in the Eastern Cross Country Championships today at Nowton Park, Bury St. Edmunds.

The U13 boys were 1st as a team, with Ethan 3rd overall.  (Harry 4th, jake 16th). 

The U17 men were 2nd as a team (Sam 8th, Dylan 12th, Harry 14th).

Well done to all the athletes who were awarded the Bedfordshire Athletics Association’s County Badge last night for representing Bedfordshire over 2 or more seasons.

The county Cross Country championships are on Saturday 14^th December at Campbell Park, Milton Keynes.

The championships are being held in December this year instead of the usual January fixture.

The closing date for entries is Sunday 8^th December.

In wet and gloomy conditions, which preceded a six-hour thunder storm of biblical proportions, Thaila-Jade Mason claimed her sixth championship medal and second international of 2024, at the English Schools Heptathlon Championships in Stoke on Trent on 21/22 September.

Her first ever false start in the 80 hurdles did not augur well, but nevertheless she ran 12.25 sec, to place 6th after the first event. A superb high jump with first time clearances up to and including 1.65m (only a centimetre shy of her lifetime best) saw her leap into second place. However, her worst shot putt of the season of only 8.34m dropped her to 4th . With the storm clouds gathering and lightening about to strike, Thaila’s 200m run of 26.50 sec, saw her drop another place, but still within striking distance of the three above her.

Her best event, the long jump, opened the second day, but with conditions as they were, she was limited to just 5.48 metres. However, others were affected to an even greater extent, allowing her to regain second place; but with javelin and 800m metres at which her rivals were much stronger on paper, nothing could be taken for granted and her aim of being in the top four to secure an international vest was by no means certain.

Thaila took a giant step closer, amazing everyone, including herself, and shocking her rivals, when she launched the javelin out to 31.79m - a five and a half metre improvement on her personal best, consolidating her second place and putting herself further ahead.

Well done to everyone who ran in the South of England Road Relays yesterday. There were some outstanding team and individual performances from Bedford and County Athletes, including 3rd place for the Senior Men's A team. 

Results:

U13 Boys A - 14th
Ethan, Tyler & Harry N
U13 Boys B - 43rd
Thomas & Jake

U15 Girls - 51st
Eleanor & Megan

U15 Boys A - 33rd
Fraser, Harry & Oliver C
U15 Boys B - 44th
Henry, Oliver H & Dexter

Well done to everyone who ran in the postponed National Cross Country Championships at Weston Park in Staffordshire on Saturday 14th September. 

Bedford and County results:

U17 Women

Lyla Danobrega 31st, 21:04

U15 Girls

Eleanor Smith 79th, 17:43

U13 Girls

Rosie Cusack 134th, 14:14

Junior Men

Ethan Cairns 59th, 43:21

There were lots of Bedford and County athletes racing in the Bedford Running Festival this weekend, with some great results across the 5k, 10k, half marathon and 20 mile races. 

Megan Reynolds was 1st lady in the 5k with a pb of 21.04, and still only u15 .

Theo Beale was 1st in the 10k with a pb of 34:16.

Molly Blizard was 1st lady in the 10k with a pb of 39:53.

Well done to everyone that ran.

Congratulations to Mia Flynn on setting yet another U15 Hammer record of 44.67M at the Ron Bowden Memorial Throws Meeting in Woodford Green on Sunday 1^st September.