Shot-putter Kelsey steals the show at English Schools

Kelsey Pearce, of Mansfield Harriers, with her medal from the English Schools Athletics Championships.

A select quintet took part in the prestigious championships, which were held at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, and four of them came away with national standard performances. But pride of place went to Kelsey, who finished an outstanding third in the junior girls’ shot put competition.

Going into the competition with a best of 11.66 metres, she produced an awesome series of throws to smash that best several times, peaking with a massive distance of 12.18 metres to make the podium.

Also in the field events, teammate Jess Lake recorded 5.07 metres in the long jump, finishing 13th, agonisingly just one position outside the final 12, while Chloe Allcock cleared 1.54 metres in the intermediate girls’ high jump.

On the track, Bethany Williams finished a fine sixth in a high-quality senior girls’ 800m, where the winner broke the championship record, and Libby Coleman came 11th in 10.04 minutes in the intermediate girls’ 3000m, which was also an event brimming with talent.

Elsewhere, Harriers’ own pocket rocket, Andy Wetherill, was the first over-50 runner home in the Muck Wenlock Seven-Mile Race in Shropshire. On an undulating course and in hot weather, he performed admirably to record a time of 43.53 minutes and finish seventh overall.