National efforts help Lewes athletes end summer on high

September is when the age category for young athletes can change with the new season, so is a good time to reflect on the summer’s results.

Achievement can be measured by the level of competition reached – and for some Lewes AC juniors the England Athletics National Under-15 and 17 championships over the bank holiday was special.

Barney Hastings had qualified for the U15 boys’ javelin. The occasion inspired a throw of 53.38m smashing his previous PB of 48.08m. This gave him national championship gold, not bad for someone previously seen as a runner.

On the track, all Lewes contenders got through their heats. In U15 800m heats Grace Tuesday decisively took first place. Rowan Pearson came second in an U17 Men’s 400m heat to go through. In the U15 1500m Ava James surged at the end of her race to book a finals place.

During the season Grace had picked off various titles but was second in the rankings to Shakira King, who was in the final too. Grace tracked Shakira then accelerated at the end to clinch gold.

Ava came 6th in her 1500m and Rowan 5th in his 400m, both a whisker away from a medal.

Meanwhile the Sussex Masters League for the over-35s sees teams accumulate points from the full range of running, jumping and throwing disciplines.

Lewes AC and Haywards Heath Harriers fielded a joint team and the men were first and the women a creditable third.