At the double: Will Kennedy, centre and Yvette Westwood
DOUBLE sprint golds for Bristol & West AC’s Will Kennedy and Yate’s Yvette Westwood were also among the highlights from the South West Inter Counties Track & Field Championships.
UWE student Kennedy had to work hard in winning both the senior men’s 100m and 200m titles on a red-hot day in Devon, although blustery wind conditions weren’t entirely conducive to fast times leaving the 20-year-old only moderately happy with his times of 11.06secs and 22.61secs respectively.
“The performances weren’t great but I guess the wins were the main thing,” said Kennedy, who lives in Kingswood.
“In both races I had to come from behind. In the 100m another Wiltshire sprinter (Callum Rea of Lavington Athletics) had a really good start and it took me time to catch up.
“In the 200m I was second coming off the bend as I stumbled out of the blocks and only just got ahead in the final 20 metres.
“I have run faster this season but they are probably my best wins.”
Kennedy has been a key member of Bristol & West’s British League team this summer and will be in the squad again from the fourth and final match next month.
“Hopefully we can clinch promotion in that match after winning the last two fixtures and I can run under 22 seconds and get close to my personal best (21.78secs),” added Kennedy.
Westwood captured the senior women’s 100m and 200m titles clocking season’s best outdoor times of 12.31secs and 25.60secs respectively.
Bristol & West’s Ben Robinson, who was representing Gloucestershire, was involved in one of the closest finishes of the day in the senior men’s 5000m.
Robinson and Wiltshire’s Simon Nott ran neck-and-neck in a thrilling last lap at the Exeter Arena with Robinson just prevailing by 0.38secs. Robinson also won the senior 800m.
A week after her stunning victory at the English Schools’ Championships Bristol & West’s Jess Lewis was pushed into second place by Wiltshire rival Megan Galpin, who set a championship record.
Yate & District AC’s Luke Ball was also a medal winner at the nationals but on Sunday he gave his specialist event the high jump a miss and opted for the long jump, finishing runner-up and then third in the 80m hurdles in a legal PB of 12.33secs.
Other winners included hammer thrower Toby Conibear, Andrea Jesudason (triple jump), Maria Townsend (javelin), Thema Hendricks (hammer) and Jodie Dale (javelin).
South West Inter Counties Track & Field Championships, Exeter Arena (all Avon unless stated)
Senior men – 100 (+1.6w): 1 Will Kennedy (W) 11.06; 200 (-0.1w): 1 Kennedy 22.61; 800: 1 Ben Robinson (G) 2:05.78; 5000: 1 Robinson 15:41.13; 2 Simon Nott 15:41.51; 3 Joe Connors (A ) 16:05.58.
Under 20 men –HJ: 2 David Thomas (A ) 1.65.
Under 17 men – 100 (+1.0W); 1 Ethan Hall (A) 11.11; 200: 1 Hall 22.69; 800: 1 Abdi Hasan (A ) 1:57.20 (CBP); 3000: 1 Justin Davies (A) 9:23.06; 400H: 2 Harry Meredith (A ) 59.16; LJ: 2 Ben Game (A ) 5.85; SP: 3 Jonathan Evans (A ) 12.53; Hammer: 1 Toby Conibear (A ) 55.84.
Under 15 boys –80H (+1.3w): 3 Luke Ball (A) 12.33; LJ: 2 Ball 5.69.
Under 13 boys –SP: 3 Adam Merrett (A) 6.01; Discus: 3 Merrett 14.92.
Senior women – 100 (-0.8w); 1 Yvette Westwood (G) 12.31; 200: 1 Westwood 25.60; 15000S/C: 1 Rebecca Pierce (A) 5:28.61; TJ: 1 Andrea Jesudason (A) 11.40; Jav: 1 Maria Townsend (A) 23.96.
Under 20 women – 400: 2 Annie Lewis (A) 59.38; 800: 2 Rebecca Pierce (A) 2:27.23; 1500 S/C: 1 Caitlin Wosika (W) 5:11.80; 2 Enya Maylor (A, U17) 5:18.71.
Under 17 women –300: 2 Jessica Frazer (A) 41.34; 3000: 2 Rosie Hamilton-James (A) 10:49.00; LJ: 2 Tia Jackson (A) 5.60; Hammer: 1 Thema Hendricks (A) 37.96; Jav: 1 Jodie Dale (A) 35.25.
Under 15 girls –300: 2 Stephanie Brooks (A) 43.58; 1500: 3 Dalis Jones (A) 4:48.39; Jav: 1 Megan Galpin (W) 40.22 (CBP); 2 Jessica Lewis (A) 34.69.
Under 13 girls –800: 3 Keira Devereux (A) 2:27.02.