Paddock Wood AC’s junior athletes travelled to Norman Park Bromley for the first of this season’s Kent Young Athletes’ League matches. The club had 16 athletes taking part in the combined team with Folkestone AC in both Division 1 and Division 2. There were several last minute changes due to illness and injuries. In the Division 1 U13 age group Lucy Tallon, in her first year in this age group, had a Grade 2 and PB run in the 75m race where she came 2nd (10.5s). Lucy equalled her High Jump PB of 1.20m and jumped 3.89m in the Long Jump. Katie Smith ran on the track for the first time after competing in Cross-country over the winter and ran the 1200m (5m 14.6s). She also did the Long Jump for the first time 3.15m. In the division 2 U13 girls, Chloe Exall, also competing for the first time as an U13, ran the 75m (13.0s), the 150m (25,6s) and competed in the Long Jump 3.39m. Jess Rayner, having her second outing on the track, ran the 1200m (4m 57.6s). In the U13 boys Division 1 Harvey Fordham ran a PB of (13.8s) to come 2nd in the 100m, unfortunately the time wasn’t officially recorded. He ran another PB in the 200m (28.7s). Harvey then went on to win the Long Jump 4.30m. Alex Stone ran (16.6s) in the 75m Hurdles, came 3rd in the Shot 6.15m and won the B Javelin with a PB of 20.90m. In Division 2 U13 boys, Dillon Dew competing, for the first time in this age group, ran the 100m (15.6s) came 3rd in the Long Jump 3.44m and 5th in the Javelin 14.46m. Another first timer was Jacob Kemmitt who ran the 200m (33.4s). U15 Kimberley Garcia ran a 300m for the first time (46.6s), leapt 4.00m in the Long Jump and ran both the 4x100m and 4x300m relays. Charlotte Whiffen, moving up to an U15 this year, had only previously run on the track in a relay, ran the 100m (14.2s). She came 3rd in the Hammer 20.73m and jumped 3.64m in the Long Jump. Maia Hyland came 2nd B String in the Hammer 17.65m, 3rd in the Javelin 18.92m and she put the Shot 5.44m. Lauren Harker was another moving from Cross-Country to the track and ran the 1500m (5m 86.6s). She did a non-scoring Long Jump 3.21m and ran the non-scoring 4x100m relay. U15 boy Spencer Elphick, who was not feeling very well, missed his 1500m he did the Discus for the first time, throwing 17.13m and came 4th in the Javelin with 26.38m. Harry Smith, again moving to the track from cross-country, ran the 1500m (6m 04s) and tried his hand at Long Jump 3.75m. In Division 2 U15 girls, Poppy Jury won the Hammer with 16.42m, ran the 100m (16.3s) and leapt 3.31m in the Long Jump. Molly Dew ran the 75m Hurdles (16.3s), the 100m (15.5s) and Jumped 3.42m in the Long Jump. Both Poppy and Molly are in their first season as U15s.
In Division 1 the combined team came 6th and in Division 2 they came 8th. A good result for the number of athletes with more out next time.
