SEVEN Bromsgrove and Redditch AC athletes have been selected to represent Hereford and Worcestershire at this year’s English Schools’ Athletics National Championships.
The championships, held tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, are the fourth largest athletics event in the world.
Josh Pearson (St Augustines), with the honour of being the County’s Boys’ team captain, returns to the English Schools for the fifth time after recovering from injury which blighted last year. The strength of his recovery has been highlighted with a PB this year of 49.11 seconds over 400m ranking him 20th U20 in the UK. Already this season, he has finished third at the Midland Championships and won both the Worcestershire County Championships and the Hereford and Worcestershire Schools’ Championships.
Will Thorley (South Bromsgrove) has had an exceptional season having transitioned to the 400m hurdles. He has won the Midland Counties U20, the Worcestershire County Championships and the H&W Schools’ Championships and is currently ranked 16th in the UK with a PB of 56.17.
Stewart Greenhalgh (South Bromsgrove) will be competing in the 200m U20, having achieved the entry standard for both 100m and 200m, with PBs of 10.8 and 21.89. He won the H&W Schools in 100, 200 and combined events, whilst also coming fourth at the Midland Championships in his favoured 200m.
Matt Griffin (RSA Academy Arrow Vale) has had an outstanding season and will be competing in the 100m Hurdles U17. Having come second at the England Indoor Championships over 60m hurdles and the 100m hurdles, he has won both the Worcestershire title and the H&W Schools. At the later event he also won the 100m. He has PB this year of 13.4 which ranks him fifth in the UK.
Nikita Gotthardt-Mills (St Augustines) is competing in the 200m U17. Having won both the 100 and 200m at the H&W Schools, she was third at the Mason Trophy.
Nathan Biggs (North Bromsgrove) has qualified for English Schools for the second time in the 200m U17. He set a PB of 22.4 at the beginning of the season before an injury disrupted his progress.
Luke Richardson (RSA Academy Arrow Vale) completes the superb seven, competing in the 800m U17. The H&W Schools champion went on to break the two-minute barrier at the Mason Trophy finishing second with a PB of 1:57.61.
Remarkably, the six of the seven athletes who compete in sprint events all have the same coach, Paul Gripton. Paul dedicates his time, to work with the athletes four times a week all year.
They are all extremely grateful for the time and effort he puts in to coaching and supporting them throughout the year.
This group of athletes have set an outstanding 15 club records at Bromsgrove and Redditch AC this season, adding to the many they already hold.
