Sensational is the only way to describe the first Northern Athletic Clubs first junior athletics trip away off Island in over twenty years. The twenty seven young athletes along with Coaches and parents travelled over in the early hours of Saturday morning to compete in Open Track & Field Meeting in Litherland just outside Liverpool, most of the Merseyside clubs were represented along with clubs from Norwich, Sheffield and Blackpool. They won 11 gold’s 12 silver and 13 bronze medals and loads of new PB’s in full day of competition. Three of those gold’s were won by 8 year old Ross Quayle he won the 75 metres sprint, 150 metres and the long jump in the under 9 boys age group. Lucy Mason was very close to achieving the same in the under 9 girls but had to settle for silver in the long Jump. Multi talented Isle of Man and Ramsey footballer Jamie Itching took a day off from football training and won the Long Jump gold and then later in the day added a silver in the High Jump. Another talented athlete 14 year old Megan Jay won gold in the 75 metre Hurdles and later added another winning the 800 metres. Katie Stricket who recently won the ladies class in David Teece 5K road race in Port Erin recently proved that she could also win on the Track taking gold in a mixed boys and girls 3000 metres race. The under 13 Girls Island cross country champion Jessica Hill comfortably won the 800 metres and then later added a bronze in the Shot putt. Towards the end of the afternoon we had fascinating High Jump competition taking place under 13 boys and girls both competing together but in separate competition as the height reach 1.40 metres all but two athletes were left Manx record holder Amber Sibbald and Steven Jones from Liverpool Harriers, Jones is ranked 3rd in the UK. Well the height kept going up as each young athlete cleared each height it finally reach 1.52 which would give the Island a new Manx record already held by Sibbald. Sibbald cleared it to great cheers from the spectators but as it was a new record it would have to be checked with the old fashioned tape measure this unfortunately delayed the competition and then it was found that the equipment was not calibrated correctly and Sibbald had only cleared 1.50 by the time the competition started again the impetus was lost and Sibbald had to settle for 1.50 metres adding a gold medal to the silver won in the long Jump and bronze in Hurdles, Jones went on to clear 1.54 metres. The final events on the track the 4 X 100 relays and Northern AC celebrated in style winning all six age group relays. I know the athletes would like to thank all that made this trip possible and hopefully this will be a new beginning for the Ramsey based club time will only tell as they take a couple of weeks break before the hard work at training starts all over again to reach the next level and we move into the cross country season.
Full results can be found on the Southport Waterloo AC website.
