Two golds and a set of relay silvers represented a fair return for a largely inexperienced Bedfordshire team at the English Schools Championships in Birmingham last weekend.
Under cloudy skies and windy conditions Thaila-Jade Mason(Van Dyke) followed up last year’s silver medal with an outstanding performance to dominate the Inter Girls Long Jump. Last to jump in the field of 17, she nailed her first jump of 5.92m to kill the competition stone dead. Her dominance was such that four of Thaila’s jumps were in excess of 5.66m the mark of the second placed athlete. Thaila’s reward is selection to represent England in the School’s international in Carmarthen next Saturday.
Captain Euan Supple (Kimberley College) ran a perfect race to win the Senior Boys 2000m Steeplechase. By always positioning himself with the front group, he ensured that he was in the leading three who broke away at the bell. Moving up into second with 200m to go, his ultimate water jump gave him the advantage to push ahead for a win. Sprinting away down the home straight, Euan crossed the line winning by more than 10 metres in a magnificent new personal best of 6 minutes 7.57 seconds.
2023 saw the Seniors win the Inaugural Mixed Relays. In 2024, it was the Inter team of Thaila-Jade Mason (Van Dyke), Ria Webb (Sharnbrook), Harley Henry (Harlington) and Khyan Markland (Manshead) who brought home the medals, winning silver in 45.31 sec behind a strong West Midlands quartet.
Elsewhere, Ben Ohwariovbe (Lealands) placed 7th in the Inter Boys shot with 13.58m; Lois Fordham (Holywell) 8th in the Junior Girls Pole Vault with 2.70m; and Lyla Danobrega (Kimberley College) 8th in the Senior Girls 1500m Steeplechase in 5min 20.22 sec.
As well as Euan, Personal Bests were posted by Grace Nyaongo of Lealands (5.21m in the Junior Girls Long Jump), Kayden Thomas of Cardinal Newman (12.09 sec. in Junior Boys 80m Hurdles); and Khyan Markland of Manshead (11.10 sec. in Inter Boys 100m).
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Dennis Johnson
