England U/20 & U/23 Championships and European Trials.

WGEL athletes were in action at Bedford over the weekend at the England U/20 and U/23 Championships, which incorporated the Trials for the European Championships for those age groups. Four medals were won by Woodford athletes and a further two by HCA members. Two were won by Youcef Zatat, and there were also medals for Alex Cornwell and Matt McLaughlin.

Youcef Zatat's first medal came in the U/20 shot where he finished a close second with a personal best of 17.34m. He also picked up 3rd place in the discus with 50.06m. Alex Cornwell's medal was a silver in the U/23 1500m. In a race that started off quickly, but then slowed, Alex made a strong effort from 450m out, but was caught in the home straight, but held on well for second in 3m46.32 secs. The other medal fell to Matt Mclaughlin, also over 1500m but in the U/20 event, where in a tactical race a strong finish saw him move through to finish third with 3m55.22 secs.

Missing out on a medal, in the U/23 200m, Jordan Kirby-Polidore placed 4th with 21.10 secs (+0.8). In the heats, Sam Watts qualified for the semi-finals with 21.44 secs (+1.0), but after feeling a niggle did not start the semi. Omololu Abiudun lso made the semi where he finished 6th with 21.91 secs (+0.3) having run 21.78 secs (+1.7) in his heat. Another to just miss out was Kitty Eleyae, 4th in the U/23 long jump with 5.90m (+1.4). The Clarke brothers, Peter and Harry each made hammer finals. Peter placed 8th in the U/23 event with 53.32m, and in the U/20 event Harry placed 5th with 60.05m. In the U/23 Long Jump, David Crisp placed 10th with 6.69m.

Three Woodford HCA members were also in action. In the U/20 Pole Vault Dan Gardener placed 2nd with 4.70m; in the U/23 shot, Scott Lincoln was also 2nd with 16.46m, and in the U/23 javelin Paul Allsop was 4th with 64.11m.