Following their medal winning performances at the Hampshire Athletics Championships in May three of Andover AC’s seniors represented the county at the prestigious Southern Inter Counties at Mile End Stadium in East London on Saturday.

This attracts some of the finest talent across the south from Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Essex and Berkshire.

Club captain Dave Awde in the 400m hurdles, despite being fatigued from his exploits the previous day ran a solid race just outside his season’s best.

The multi-talented athlete was also chosen for the pole vault and it was in this event that Dave really excelled. After a shaky start using a new pole he took the pressure in his stride and finished with a new PB of 3.60m.

After the season of her life Hayley Coney was selected for the 100m in the A-string against a field which included the current British record holder Montell Douglas from Kent.

Despite a heavy rain shower Hayley exploded out of the blocks and finished strongly to stop the clock just outside her season’s best.

Recently graduated Danni Horner was in the 100m hurdles A-string and ran an impressive race to stop the clock just outside her current personal best.

The action continued at the Mountbatten Centre Portsmouth on Sunday where the U17s competed. Competition was fierce and following on from her success at the English Schools’ AA Championships, Evie Wilcox was in the A string discus and her first time out in a HAA vest brought an outstanding performance, likely to be the first of many more to come.

Despite having picked up an ankle injury she faced 12 other athletes and smashed her PB twice trying to hit the 40m mark, finishing with a new best of 39.22m and is now ranked sixth in the UK.

Ben Reed came to the meeting off the back of exceptional performances at both the South Eastern Schools’ Inter-Counties and Hampshire Schools’ Championships.

He put in a solid performance finishing fifth in the 1500m steeplechase in 4:59.1. Reed has made huge gains this season and there is much more to come from this talented athlete.

 

Full page of athletics in Friday's Advertiser