Athletics clubs salutes its prize guys

The age range of the recipients was from from 10 to 80 and, with nearly 100 awards, it was a busy evening.

The Junior awards fell into three categories: Meritorious, Track & Field and Cross Country. The main guest was Alf Meakin, who competed in the Tokyo Olympics and won Relay European and British Empire Relay medals.

He helped to present the awards together with senior coach, Stan Taylor, and club president, Howard Henshaw.

Faith Wood won the Langen Hesson Plaque for the most improved female aged 15-17 and Declan Taylor won the Chairman’s Trophy, the equivalent male category; both for their progress in sprinting.

In the 13-15 category Jasmine Carey, who has made a giant leap in pole vaulting, and Jack Tickle, for his improvement at middle distance and the javelin, won the Southern and Rowland Jones Trophies.

The Kennel and Ryan Trophies in the 11-13 category were won by Leah Howard for her progress in sprinting and jumping and Josh Croft for his overall progress.

Other Meritorious awards were: the encouragement for Under-13 award, Brooks Barrel, won jointly by Bethany Whipp and Nicolas Christodoulou; the Sandra Helme Trophy for best throws in the female 13-15 (Natasha Webster); and the BAE Trophy for best throws in the male Under-17s (Will Holmes).

The Ron Helmn Trophy for the best 800m runner – boy or girl) – was won by Henry Sandwell.

In the Track & Field the girl winners and runners-up were: Under-11 Jessica Roach and Ellison Balshaw; Under-13 Leah Howard and Georgia Norman; Under-15 Jasmine Carey and Kirsty Rushton; Under-17 Mollie Mason and Gabrielle Jones.

The boy winners and runners up were: Under-11 George MacKenzie and Michael Hansford; Under-13 Scott Sinclair and Louis Weaver; Under-15 Bradley Parsons and James Nicholas; Under-17 Will Critchley, Morgan Lilley and George Robinson.

The first places in the Cross Country Awards were: girls’ Under-11 Felicity Barnes; Under-13 Caitlyn Preddy; Under-15 Danielle Whipp.

The boys’ winners were: Under-11 Alex Maude; Under-13 James Smith; and Under-15 Ben Preddy.

There were also awards for the second and third-placed young cross country runners.

It was a quiet week on the competitive front; however Lucy Tickle was again running in parkruns at Lytham Hall and Preston.

She set a PB of 8:05 at the junior 2K; a time which was also the girls record and enough for her to finish as first girl and second overall.