Rebecca Zelic wins bronze at European Deaf Indoor Athletics Championships

Herne Hill Harriers are celebrating Rebecca Zelic winning bronze in the sprint hurdles race at the European Deaf Indoor Athletics Championships held in Tallin, Estonia, between 15 and 17 March. After winning the semi-final, the Herne Hill Harriers’ athlete pushed herself all the way in the final to finish third in a new personal best time of 9.54 seconds. Rebecca also finished fourth in the pentathlon two days later despite suffering a reaction to her hip injury.

Rebecca said “I am elated to win a bronze medal in the sprint hurdles and to come away with a medal from such an important championship event is very satisfying. I had injured my hip in training a few weeks before and was in pain but I would not let it interfere with my performance”. Rebecca now looks forward to the second World Deaf championships in Toronto in July. She opened her outdoor season in the young athletes open meeting at Crystal Palace on 1 April, hosted by Hercules Wimbledon, which featured some of the top young athletes in the country. Rebecca won the junior women’s long jump with a new personal best of 5.12m which was a meeting record and the high jump with 1.45m.

Rebecca was amongst a host of over seventy athletes from the Herne Hill Harriers cometing in the open meeting. Standout performances included Katie Snowden winning the Dave Clarke mile for junior women in a meeting record of 5.04.65. Sam Cohen won the under-13 boys’ 800m setting a new meeting record of 2.25 while Javonique Ekra also set a meeting record with 10.42m in winning the junior women’s shot.

Double winners included Denisha Marshall Brown in the under-13 girls 100m and shot and Jessie Knight in the junior women’s 200m and 800m. Michella Obijiaku won the under-15 girls’ shot with a new personal best of 11.74m. Rosanta Yarde won the junior women’s 100m with a new personal best of 13.18.