Teesside young guns off to flying start with impressive performances in curtain raiser to season

The Anne Marie Redshaw Open attracted competitors from New Marske Harriers, Billingham Marsh House Harriers and Middlesbrough AC

By Rick Betts

The annual North-east curtain raiser for outdoor track and field athletics at Shildon - the Anne Marie Redshaw Open - attracted competitors from New Marske Harriers, Billingham Marsh House Harriers and Middlesbrough AC who made light of the conditions to turn in some impressive performances.

In the Under-11 category, Eleanor Crame (New Marske Harriers) won the girls’ 60 metres in 9.20 secs before finishing second in the 150m in 23.50 secs.

On the field Charlotte Kelsey (Middlesbrough AC) equalled her personal best of 3.28m to win the long jump.

The Under-11 boys’ section saw three medal winning performances from Robert Savage (Middlesbrough AC) who won the 600m by some margin, in under two minutes before taking second places in the 150m and long jump.

Benjamin Savage (Middlesbrough AC) won the cricket ball throw with an excellent 38.97m while Max Butler (Billingham Marsh House) claimed silver in the 150ms and Benjamin Johnson (Middlesbrough AC) third in the long jump.

In the Under-13 boys’ section, Middlesbrough AC’s Hedley Wordsworth and Nathan Gordon-Wood provided the highlights.

Wordsworth completed an impressive sprint double taking the 100 metres in 12.90 secs to go fourth in the UK rankings then took the 200 metres in 27.60 secs.

Gordon-Wood, in his first ever athletics competition, had an excellent win in the 800 metres in 2 mins 35.7 secs before winning the long jump 4.31m.

Mathew Walker (New Marske) was third in the 100 metres and third in the long jump and club mate Dominic Shipman was second in the 800m.

Finn Cousin Dawson (Middlesbrough) was a double silver medallist with second in the 200 metres in 29.00 secs and second in the long jump.

In the girls ‘section Tamara Miller (Middlesbrough AC) set a personal best when winning the 100m in 13.80 secs.

The Under-15 age group saw three bronze medals for Teesside athletes.

Rebecca Hudson and Jasmine Clarke claimed third places in the 200m (28.70) and long jump (4.12m) respectively and Hannah Raine (New Marske Harriers) was third in the shot putt (6.65m).

In the Under-17s, Sam Day (Middlesbrough AC) took the 800 metres in 2 mins 05.4 secs and improvement of seven seconds on his previous best. Caitlin Harrison (Middlesbrough AC) was third in the 20m (30.00).

In the disability category, Amy Carr (Middlesbrough AC) won the 60 metres in a personal best 9.70 secs and the shot putt with a PB of 5.25m.

In the senior men’s events New Marske Harriers reigned supreme in the 3000m. Russell Best won in 8 mis 48.3 secs with Charlie Pasco second in 8 mins 57.8 secs making it a clean sweep in third place was Dean Newton taking 35 secs from his previous best in 9 mins 5 secs.

Danny McBride (New Marske) won the 100 mm in 11.20 secs and the 200m in 24.20 secs. Chris Waugh (New Marske) won the long jump with his best distance for five years - 6.13m - and also took third place in the 200 metres.

Sam Norton (Middlesbrough AC) took a full second off his personal best in the 400m to win t in 53.40 secs.

Amy Redman (New Marske) was a comfortable winner of the senior women’s 200m in 27.70 secs.

Lauren Beech had a debut competition to remember, competing in the senior T37 disability category.

She won the 60m in 10.10 secs and the 300m in 59.70 secs before placing third in the shot put with 4.81m.