ATHLETES from West Cheshire AC were in sparkling form at the weekend as they delivered a record-breaking performance at the Cheshire Track and Field Championships.

The club returned from Victoria Park in Warrington with 72 medals – their biggest haul since they were founded 11 years ago.

West Cheshire AC chairman Dennis Wall said: “The success of our members is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and commitment.

“This year’s results prove that athletics is continuing to grow in strength and popularity and I hope our good news can encourage newcomers of every age into our sport.”

Dave McKay spearheaded West Cheshire’s charge in Warrington.

He captured the spectators’ and his fellow competitors’ attention with an award-winning throw of 66.31m to win the men’s javelin title. The performance was enough to earn him the men’s best field performance of the championships award.

Dave was one of 28 gold medal winners from West Cheshire.

Other purple-vested athletes to climb to the top of the medal rostrum included double gold medallists Alice McMahon, Alice Jennings, Leah Ferrie, Amy Williams and Nicola Gore.

McMahon claimed an under 15 girls 100m (12.6) and 200m (26.5) double, while Jennings posted 12.3 seconds for the U15 girls 75m hurdles title and a 1.55m clearance for top spot in the high jump.

Ferrie bagged the U17 ladies 100m title (13.1) on the opening day, and added the 200m crown on day two with a time of 26.6 seconds.

Williams won the U13 girls long jump with a leap of 4.60m – just 1cm short of the age group championship record, and then won the discus title with 15.30m.

And Gore spun the ladies discus to a winning mark of 36.73m and then found a winning put of 10.87m in the shot.

On a superb weekend for West Cheshire, Chris Goodwin clocked four minutes 21.1 seconds to claim the U17 men’s 1,500m title and Alec Beaney clinched the men’s 5,000m crown with a time of 16:26.1.

Tom Kellett powered his way to a 31.93m U15 boys hammer victory, while Alan Littler bagged the junior U20 men’s hammer gold with 15.88m.

Carl van Schie cleared 3.80m to win the men’s pole vault title, Callam Benson claimed the U15 boys pole vault gold with 2m and Andrew Whitton celebrated a 12.56m success in the junior U20 men’s triple jump.

Olivia Montez Brown triple jumped to a 9.22m victory in the U15 girls event, while Michael Bailiff cleared 1.60m for success in the U15 boys high jump.

The medals kept coming as Kelly Baker hit 10.15m for victory in the U15 girls shot, while Adam Howell claimed the U15 boys triple jump title with 11.29m, and Bryony Potter sprinted her way to a U20 junior ladies 200m win with 25.9 seconds.

Danielle Erskine, in the U17 300m hurdles (49.6secs), and Tom Booth, in the U17 men’s 400m hurdles (59.8secs), were also winners.

Emily Clarke left the arena with a smile on her face after winning the U17 ladies triple jump with 10.58m, while Alex Kirk cleared 1.32m for success in the U13 boys high jump, and Niamh Reilly nailed a throw of 33.31m for victory in the ladies javelin.

Among West Cheshire’s silver medallists were Matthew Pagan (U13 boys 100m), Shona Valentine (junior ladies 200m), Ruth Pritchard (junior ladies javelin), Joseph O’Riordan (U15 boys shot), David Thomson (junior men’s 200m), Liam Renton (U17 men’s 3,000m), Gemma Hale (U17 ladies 80m hurdles), James McMahon (U13 boys 75m hurdles), Emily Done (junior ladies 400m), Yousef Khalifa (U15 boys hammer), Lauren Hunt (ladies discus) and Leon Langmead (U13 boys javelin).

The club’s bronze medallists included Lucy Earl (U15 girls triple jump).