It was a busy and successful weekend for Herne Hill Harriers young athletes with medals at the Southern U15/17 championships and the boys team winning the clubs first League honours of the summer.
At Croydon Arena the boys team won the final Ebbisham League match from close rivals Croydon to clinch the Ebbisham League for the sixth time in seven years since entering the league eight years ago. Going into the final match Herne Hill had a two point lead after winning the first two matches and in a close and keenly contested match Herne Hill Harriers won by 20 points from Croydon to remain unbeaten throughout the three matches. Final scores Herne Hill Harriers 199 Croydon Harriers 177 Sutton 96 Kingston & Poly 94 South London 94 Walton 93.
In the South of England under 15 and under 17 championships at Watford several of the clubs top youngsters were in action with the highlight being a rarely achieved 1-2-3 in a high quality under 15 boys long jump. The boys Jermaine Graham, Christopher Sinclair and Garfield Francis exchanged positions throughout the competition. Garfield took the lead in the first round with his best jump of 5.72m but Jermaines third round jump of 6.23m put him into the lead and then Christophers final round jump promoted him into the medals for silver. Jermaine (6.23m) and Christopher (5.74m) achieved PBs with Jermaine’s jump putting him 4th in the national rankings.
Michella Obijiaku won a silver medal in the under 15 girls shot with a throw of 11.61m and a bronze in the 100m with a PB of 12.75, Michella bounced back from the disappointment of the English Schools championships the week before when she had three no throws to confirm her ranking of no. 2 in the country this summer.
Zanson Plummer won a bronze in the under 17 mens 100m in a well contested final in 11.03 and Phillip Thomas won his first medal at this level in the under 15 boys triple jump with a new PB of 11.03m. Other finalists were Anthony Ahatty who was fifth in the under 15 boys 80m hurdles and Marvin Popoola and Frederick Arfifa who were sixth and seventh in the under 17 mens 200m.