ATHLETICS: East Coast AC weekly update

A number of East Coast AC’s growing junior squad took part in the meet across a variety of distances and disciplines.

The evening kicked off with the mini boys and girls track and field events. The highlight had to be young Charlie Patterson’s high jump; the talented athlete cleared an impressive 3.15m to take first, fending off stiff competition in a field of 25 athletes.

On the track, he missed out on a podium spot when he finished fourth in the 80m race in a time of 13:20.

In the same event, Dallan Bell performed well in his first-ever track race, crossing the line in 14:80 to take 23rd.

East Coast AC was also well represented in the mini girls’ events. In the 1,000m race Lola Hogg finished 10th in a time of 4:30.43, followed by Matilda Dean in 4:57.20 (14th).

Four East Coast AC girls took to the start line of the Under-13 girls’ 100m race, a competitive event which attracted no less than 46 junior athletes. Keeva Bell was the first of the club’s girls to finish, doing so in 15.73 (14th). Less than a second split Bradie Hogg (16.69 – 30th) and Charlotte Dean (16.94 – 33rd), before Hannah Clements finished in 17.75 to secure 41st.

In the 1,500m Under-13 girls’ race, Bradie Hogg clocked 5:38 (approx). In the same event, Hannah Clements claimed a 15th-place finish when she crossed the line in 6:12.17, with Keeva Bell following in 6:25.40 (18th). Keeva Bell also showed her versatility when she competed in the Under 13 girls’ long jump event, jumping a distance of 3.13m and finishing in a commendable 13th out of 33.

Kelly Patterson took on three events in the Under-15 girls’ group. Kelly ran the 100m race in a time of 15.45 (20th) and followed on from this with 11th in the 1,500m (5:29.59). In the high jump event, she showed potential with a clearance of 1.25m (5th overall).

On Tuesday Connie Hodge claimed a top-20 spot in the popular Ballymena Belles five-mile road race in a time of 38:20 (19th).

Tracey Parke was next, finishing in 85th in 43:44. Sonia Lennon and Sonia Ross both made it under the 50-minute mark, with Sonia Lennon clocking 49:17 (162nd) and Sonia Ross 49:47 (177th).

Sarah Girvin recorded 51:19 for the five-mile distance, securing 201st before Catherine Beggs crossed the line in 1:03:32 to take 291st.

Also on Thursday, Alan Glover and Phil Smyth joined over 200 other athletes for the first race of this year’s Hill & Dale Series, hosted by Newcastle AC.

The series opener in Castlewellan measured approximately five miles in distance, and included a 900ft of ascent. Only a matter of seconds split the pair and it was Alan who crossed the line first in 50:47 (160th), with Phil following in 50:54 (164th).