Essex Indoor Championships, Chelmsford 8 & 9 February 03

Three club records fell as the club's golden girls virtually swept the medals board in the inaugural Essex County Indoor Championships held at the impressive new Melbourne Park centre at Chelmsford last weekend.

Christina Kalejaiye and Lucy Sargent each won double gold. Christina improved her own 60m sprint club best to 8.0 secs in winning gold in the under 17 event, after earlier smashing her long jump PB with a winning 5.10m leap.

Lucy also broke her own club best in winning u15 60m gold in a new record of 8.1 secs and she improved her long jump PB to 4.99m when claiming gold in that event. Kirsty Smith broke the 11m barrier, triple jumping to a new club u17 record, indoors or out of 11.04m, an 11cm improvement on her own mark set at the end of last season.

There was a virtual clean sweep in the girls' 60m hurdles races as HMAC athletes made it 1-2 in each age group. Nicola Hill and Catrina McAuliffe ran PBs to take u13 gold and silver in their first major competition, while the rapidly improving Lisa Schofield got the better of club mate Helen McDonnell in the u15 hurdles race smashing her personal best in heat and final, while Chloe van Wulven and Nicola Schofield took the u17 hurdles honours, the latter twice improving her PB. For Chloe it was also double gold, as she had earlier soared over a new high jump PB of 1.65m, to rank fourth on the club all time senior women’s lists and third best ever by an u17. Their hurdles medal tally added to Claire Brennan's gold in the senior race on Saturday, making it a triumphant weekend for coach Tony Benton’s hurdles squad.

On Saturday also Ricky Brown won men's triple jump gold and Steve Prady and Mark Connelly made it junior men's high jump one two. 

Others to win medals were

Silver: Helen McDonnell (u15 high jump silver), Louise Yard (u15 shot), Lynsey Clark (u17 triple jump), Melanie Harrison (U20 women’s Shot); Laura Jones (U20 w 60m); Mark Gardiner (u20 long jump); Nicola Hill (U13 girls’ high jump).

Bronze: Hannah Gamester (senior women – Long jump); Mark Connelly (U20 men- long jump); Jack Damon (U15 boys high jump and long jump)

HMAC Results

Senior Women:

60m            4th- Claire Brennan 8.6 secs (=PB); 5th - Hannah Gamester - 8.7 secs

60m H        1st - Claire Brennan 9.7 secs (=PB)

Long Jump  3rd - Hannah Gamester 4.89m

Junior Women:

60m            2nd- Laura Jones 8.5 secs

Shot             2nd - Mel Harrison 9.72m

U17 Women:

60m            1st - Christina Kalejaiye 8.0 secs (PB -  Club record)

60mH           1st - Chloe van Wulven 9.3 secs (9.1 secs heat); 2nd - Nicola Schofield 9.4 secs (PB); 5th - Danielle Ross    9.7 secs (9.6 secs heat)

Shot             5th - Danielle Ross 8.19m

High Jump    1st - Chloe van Wulven 1.65m (PB)

Long Jump     1st - Christina Kalejaiye 5.10m (PB)

Triple Jump    1st - Kirsty Smith 11.04 (PB - Club record); 2nd - Lynsey Clark 9.89m; 3rd - Carmel Munson - 8.05m

U15 Women:

60m            1st - Lucy Sargent 8.1 secs (PB -  Club record)

60mH           1st - Lisa Schofield 9.5 secs (PB); 2nd - Helen McDonnell 9.7 secs (PB);

Shot             2nd - Louise Yard 8.58m

High Jump    1st - Helen McDonnell 1.50m

Long Jump     1st - Lucy Sargent 4.99m (PB); 4th - Lisa Schofield 4.56m

U13 Girls:

60m            6th - Nicola Hill 9.3 secs

60mH           1st -Nicola Hill 10.9 secs (PB); 2nd - Catrina McAuliffe 12.0 secs (PB);

High Jump    2nd - Nicola Hill 1.15m

Senior Men:

60m            3rd semi - Leo Barker 7.4 secs (2nd heat - 7.3 secs); 4th - heat - Scott Spencer - 7.5 secs

Shot            4th - Leo Barker 12.85m (PB)

Triple Jump - 1st Ricky Brown 13.00m

Junior Men:

High Jump    1st - Steven Prady 1.85m; 2nd - Mark Connelly 1.80m

Long Jump    2nd - Mark Gardiner 5.70m; 3rd - Mark Connelly - 5.66m

U15 Boys:

60m            heat Jack Damon - 8.2 secs

High Jump    3rd - Jack Damon 1.45m

Long Jump     3rd - Jack Damon  5.10m