Athletics: Chester athletes serve up medal feast at Cheshire Athletics Championships for Schools

Jun 18 2009 by Alec Doyle, Chester Chronicle

SHONA Valentine spearheaded a fantastic performance for Chester and District in the Cheshire Schools Athletics Championships with a victory in the senior girls 100 metres.

The Christleton High School pupil ran 13sec flat in Macclesfield to take the sought-after sprint title and she led a wave of great results for Chester athletes.

Sian Kelman of Upton High pipped her to the 200m title while distance runner Kate Titlow of Backford’s Greater Grace School was victorious in the 3,000m.

Helsby High’s Eleanor Owen had to settle for second in the triple-jump by just 55cm.

Chester boys’ triumphs were fewer at senior level, with only A Harrison of Bishops’ High taking a gold medal.

Alec Beaney from Tarporley received silver for his second-place in the 3,000m and David Thompson of Bishops’ was also runner-up in the 200m.

At the intermediate age level, Sam Galley of Upton took the tape in the 100m while Emily Clarke of Helsby won the triple jump by more than half a metre.

A silver medal went to Claire Perry of Chester Catholic High in the 3,000m where Gemma Mayled of Upton took bronze.

Also in second were Danielle Erskine in the 300m hurdles and Bethany Broston, of Bishops’, in the shot.

Victoria Anderson of The Queen’s School was pipped to gold despite clearing the same 1.68m height as the eventual winner, The King’s School’s Megan Hopkinson was third.

The inter boys again found medals hard to come by, Upton’s Aiden Stoakley claiming one of four golds in that category after winning the 400m by almost two seconds.

The 100m crown belonged to Stephen Jones of Neston High, after he ran 11.5sec.

Tom Booth brought Upton’s second gold medal in the 400m hurdles and Tarporley’s James Bowman won the javelin with a throw of 42.42m.

Robbie Dagnall of Upton had to settle for second in the 200m by almost two seconds, while bronze medals went to James Ellis of the King’s School in the 1,500m and James Kellagher, of Upton, in the high jump.

Chester Catholic High’s Alice Jennings comfortably won the junior girls high jump with seven centimetres separating her from second place. Kelly Baker from Bishops’ walked off with gold in the shot.

Bishop Heber’s Alex Hailes was top triple jumper in the boys draw, with Matthew Spencer winning a gold for The King’s School in the shot.

George Okell of the King’s School ran a good second place in the 400m and Adam Howell was just two centimetres short of gold in the triple jump, instead settling for silver alongside Cameron Thompson, who was second for The King’s School in the 80m hurdles and Michael Bailiff, runner-up in the high jump for Upton.

Many of Chester’s top athletes performed well enough to earn selection for the Inter-County Mason Trophy meeting on Saturday at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.