This is a bit of a round-up without, at the time of writing, very much information available………………………………….

What is known, however, is that we have two National Champions, no less, from the England Athletics U20/U23 Championships at Bedford on Saturday, 20 June, namely James Lelliott and Phoebe Dowson.  James became the U23M Long Jump Champion with a jump of 7.50, a distance which isn’t James‘ PB, this being 7.57, achieved at the John Rumbold Open at Kings Park earlier this year. Phoebe achieved her U23W National Champion status in the Discus 1k with a throw of 48.27.  Many congratulations to our two Champions, and also to Kevin Hodgson and Patrick Sylla who, although not gaining championship titles, were amongst the ‘elite’ squad earning the right to compete at the National Championships.  Kevin worked his way through to the U20M 100m heats, finishing 4th in his heat in 10.98.  Patrick was a highly creditable 6th in the U20M Long Jump, achieving a distance of 6.94.  Well done to all – we are very proud of you!

Also on Saturday 20 June, due to other commitments and injuries, it was a depleted squad of five athletes, plus officials, who went to Bracknell for Round 3 of the Southern Athletics League season.  It was, therefore, perhaps inevitable that BAC would finish last of the five teams competing, but that takes nothing away from our athletes who were present, all of whom took part in a number of events, including for the first time (when Keelan Abley claimed PBs in the discus and javelin, it transpired that it was because he hadn’t previously thrown either a javelin or a discus, but well done for having a go!).  In addition, all our athletes helped out with the shortage of officials by assisting at some time with the running of the events.  So, hats off to Keelan, Rachel Welch, Danielle Marshall, Jemma Bates and Peter Briant, and also to the officials, Wynne and Ray Munden, Hazel Bates and Ian Graham.  BAC‘s athletes competed as follows: Keelan Abley 100m A (5th); DT B (4); JT B (3): Peter Briant 1500m A (5); HJ A (4); LJ A (5); TJ A (5); SP A (3); DT A (3); HT A (4); JT A (4): Rachel Welch 100m A (4); LJ A (1); TJ A (2); DT B (3): Jemma Bates 100m B (4); 200m A (5); SP A (3); DT A (4); HT A (4); JT A (4): Danielle Marshall 200m B (4); 400m A (4); 400mH A (1); SP B (3).  Full results, including the League position, should shortly be available at www.southernathletics.org.uk.

Also on 20 June a Regional Schools competition was taking place at Exeter.  Rumour has it that Danielle Broom was competing, and possibly other BAC athletes as well.  Regrettably, no further information is to hand at present, and your scribe isn’t available now for two weeks, but hopefully some more up to date information can be provided after that.

Round 2 of the Wessex Young Athletes League took place at Woking on 7 June, with BAC competing against Woking, MADJA, IOW, Andover and Waverley & Haslemere.  BAC was well represented in the U13G and U15G categories, but the situation was a little different in the other categories, with three U17W, U13B and U15G, and one U17M. However, there were some excellent performances, resulting in, on the day, the U13G finishing 4th, U13B 6th, U15G 4th, U15B 5th, U17W 2nd, U17M 5th, with an overall position of 4th. Without in any way taking away from any of the performances, the outstanding ones must have been from, in the U13 Girls, Elle Ward and Yasmin Bridet, who both won three of their four events, and, in the U15 Girls, Gemma Kennard, also winning three of her four events, and Amelia Dobson, winning two events and second in two. All of the U17W, U13B and U15B are to be congratulated on their multi-eventing, the only exception being Tom Farwell, who nevertheless made a major contribution by finishing second in the 1500m. Congratulations, too, to Lewis Sainval, BAC‘s only U17M, who won both his events. The BAC athletes who competed were: U13G – Elle Ward 100m A (1st); 200m A (1); 4 x 100m (1); LJ A (4): Yasmin Bridet 100m B (1); 70mH A (1); 4 x 100m (1); SP A (2): Isabelle Franklin 200m B (4); LJ B (5): Ruby Bowden 800m A (3): Louise Rhymes 800m B (6): Jasmine Stocker 70mH B (3); 4 x 100m (1): Tanishia Davis 4 x 100 (1): Hannah Saunders SP B (2); DT B (2); JT A (3): Ria Hartigan DT A (2). U15G – Gemma Kennard 100m A (1); 4 x 100m (2); LJ B (1); HJ A (1): Holly Lowther 100m B (2); 75mH A (1); 4 x 100m (2): Rebecca Hannibal 200m A (3); 4 x 100m (2); SP A (5): Charlotte Quantick 200m B (3): Laurin Sheerin 300m A (3); SP B (4): Abi Richardson 300m B (2); 800m A (3); HJ B (2): Amelia Dobson 75mH B (1); 4 x 100m (2); LJ A (1); JT A (2). U17W – Iona Sheerin 100m A (2); 80mH A (1); SP A (1): Charlie Sidaway 100m B (2); 200m A (2); 80mH B (1): Verity Cowell LJ A (3); HJ A (1); SP B (1). U13B Gil Rees 100m A (5); 75mH B (2); LJ A (4): Oliver Hassan 200m A (6); 75mH A (2): Tom Farwell 1500m A (2). U15B – Johannes Elie 100m A (3); 200m A (3); LJ A (5): Jim Dence 80mH A (3); LJ B (1); HJ A (5): Fraser Spall DT A (3); JT A (4). U17M Lewis Sainval 800m A (1); LJ A (1).  A Quadkids competition also took place, involving the same teams, at Woking. BAC were represented by Lauren Stocker in the girls’ competition, and Samuel Rappoport in the boys’.  Well done to both Lauren and Samuel, but, as every other team was supported by a number of athletes, it was inevitable that BAC would finish 6th on the day.  Full results can be found at www.wessexleaguetandf.co.uk.

The third round of the Youth Development League (Lower Age Group) season was taking place at Portsmouth at the moment of writing (21 June), and a squad of our athletes was spotted leaving Kings Park in the morning.  Hopefully, all is going well, and it is anticipated that more information will be provided here in due course.  In the meantime, the results will no doubt eventually be available at www.ukydl.org.uk.