Athletics - Duchy women record a marvellous victory
Cornwall County Women's Athletic team secured a marvellous victory at the Annual South West Inter-Counties match at Exeter on Sunday.
This is the first win that team manager Dave Varney and longest serving athlete, Jacky Brett, can remember, going back 18 years and may well be the first ever when records are checked.
On paper, the Men's selection had been just as strong but for various reasons, half of the top County athletes were unable to compete and the Men's team made a valiant effort with some best performances but still finished last of the five counties.
The Women took three Championship winners medals with Leah Harris repeating her 1998 success in the 800m in the 2.18.7 after a second place in the 400 m.
Jacky Brett also showed that once again she is the top South West 100m hurdler in 14.14s and Becky Bailey added almost three metres to her best Javelin performance with 39.52 m.
These three event wins were backed by equally impressive 'B' competitions with Annie Bolton's 2.l8.8s in the 800m, a best mark for her. Sharon Crowle won the 'B' hurdles in 16.5 and jumped 10.61m for second in the Triple Jump, her best for two years, with Laura Bolton just below her best in the Javelin at 37.36m.
Top performances for second places came from Jacky Brett and Laura Brown in the 100m and 200m races (l2.8s/25.9s and 12.8s/26.5s), Zoe Jelbert beaten by one of the country's top Junior Women over 3000 m, Amber Gascoigne, recording l0.15.8s. Kim Rawling threw 34.15m in the Hammer and sent the Discus out to her second best performance of 35.51 in a top quality match for third
The quartet of Laura Brown, Sharon Crowle, Laura Bolton and Jacky Brett are claiming a Club 4 x 100m County relay record with a second place in 50.3s and all from the Newquay and Par Club.
Notable in the 'B' event was Sarah Kenny's Triple Jump for second and taking her beyond 10m for the first time in 10.06 m.
Liz Hicks broke the County Veterans' Pole Vault record finishing third with 1.70 m.
Shaun Sinden and Steven Green were outstanding for the Men with Shaun second place in the Triple Jump with 13.55 in a new best distance.
Steven, although under 17, was awesome over the 400m Hurdles in a new best time of 55.2s and second place and although nervous about the 3'6" high 110m hurdles, recorded the County's third fastest time in his first attempt at the distance and height in 15.9s.
Danny Simons was another happy athlete after finishing second in the one mile in a time of 4m.16.3s, which should put him in the top 10 all-time rankings.
Ross Pearce once again just missed out on a sub-2 minute 800m, recording 2.00.6s for his best time of the season.
Marc Hicks equalled his best Pole Vault height of 3.10m and another U-17 competing as a Senior to good effect was Barry Furse who cleared 1.80m for third in the high jump.
Adrian Rawling threw 12.41 in the shot for third, just short of the second place and U-17 Jon Saunter, brought in as a late replacement threw the heavier800g Javelin to an excellent 40.06 m.
Dave Varney reports that the county statistician has brought to his attention more relay county records - the women's team also broke the 4x400m county record with Charlotte Randall putting the team into second on the first leg, handing to Zeo Jelbert, Anne Bolton ran the fastest leg in 60.6s with Leah Harris anchoring the team and finishing in 4m.05.9s.
The men equalled the women's county record breaking performance with their own 4x100m time of 44.7s bettering the previous best by 0.1s by the squadof Steven Green, Shaun Sanden, John Bowery and Adam Paulley.