Home stars take the lead role at Telford

The Telford Stadium was the venue for the event, which was first staged at RAF Cosford in 1989, with hundreds of competitors from across the country taking part.

Every track and field event was covered for age groups from under 11 up to masters.

And the ‘home’ athletes produced a series of impressive displays during a packed day of action.

Telford Athletic Club’s Rachel Coupe set two games records as she followed up her British Masters 800m silver medal by setting new standards of two minutes 27 seconds, and 5.13.71 for the 800 and 1,500m.

Amy Harland, from Abraham Darby School, who was competing for Birchfield Harriers, posted a new best of 2.19.3 on her way to victory in the under-15 girls 800m.

Celebrations

Shrewsbury AC’s Jess Gunner also re-wrote the record books with an impressive win in the under-17s 3,000m in a time of 10.58.26.

And it was also a day for some family celebrations.

England international and English Schools silver medallist Jake Watson (Telford AC) equalled the game’s record in the under-20 men’s pole vault, clearing 4.40 metres, while his mother – who has taken up the pole vault this season – cleared 2m to post a record in the masters category.

Another double win for a Telford AC family came from Ava Watkinson and her brother Brady as they both won their respective events.

Ava won the under-11 girls howler throw with a distance of 24.38m (new record) and also triumphed in the 600m (1.54.61). Brady came home first in the under-15 boys 800m in 2.24.88.

Shrewsbury AC’s Raphael Carsen also set a howler record for the under-11 boys, throwing 38.13m.

Another Shropshire international on show was Cleobury Mortimer’s Katie Lambert, now at Loughborough University. She was in fine form as she threw a record 55.57m in the women’s hammer.

Her brother Jack, who is also one of the highest ranked in the country for his age group, won the under-17 hammer (62.38m).

Shrewsbury’s Pat Higgins, who is heading out to Spain to compete in the World Masters Championships in Malaga, threw a games’ best of 24.42 on his way to victory in the masters hammer.

Telford’s Dave Garrott was another record-breaker, also set a new masters best with his 23.25m throw. Kim Carter from Telford AC won the senior women’s hammer.

Event organiser and meeting director Elaine Davies was delighted with the way the meeting went and thanked the large number of athletes and officials who again supported the Telford Games which have taken place every year since that first meeting in 1989.

In 1991 the event was named the Ricoh Games and was used as the opening ceremony for the Telford Stadium.

Other Shropshire winners were: Dale Wilkinson, Telford AC, Masters Mile 5.03.4; Luke Moses, Telford AC, U/17 Mile 5.06.5; Jacob McLoughlin, Bridgnorth, U/15 100m 12.3; Lucy Elcock, Bridgnorth AC, U/17 100m 12.7 + 200m 26.00; Charlie Fisher, Telford AC, U/17 100m 11.1; Nial Price, Birchfield, U/20 100m 11.3; Tino Dummett, Telford AC, Senior 100m 11.3; Ben Naudi, Telford AC, U/17 800m 2.11.9; Paul Harrison, Telford AC, U/11 600m 1.55.94; Adam Edwards, Shrewsbury AC, U/13 800m 2.22.03 + 200m 27.96; Dani Hales, Telford AC, U/17 80m Hurdles 12.0 + shot 9.09m; Chloe Speak, Shrewsbury AC, U/15 75m Hurdles 12.61; Bridget Williams, Shrewsbury AC, U/11 150m 22.94; Shana Stewardson, Bridgnorth AC, U/15 200m 28.12; William Kay, Telford AC, U/17 1500m 4.32.75; Raphael Carson, Shrewsbury AC, U/11 150m 21.56; Rebecca Walker, Shrewsbury AC, U/17 high jump 1.60m; Louis Schofield, Shrewsbury AC, U/17 high jump 1.65m + long jump 6.04m; Francesca Garrott, Telford AC, U/20 shot 8.83m + javelin 34.69m; Kim Carter, Telford AC, Senior shot 8.64m + javelin 15.29m + discus 36.84m; Michelle Lewis, Telford AC Masters shot 5.66m; Ali Dummett, Telford AC senior shot 9.48m; Sam Kerrison, Telford AC U/13 javelin 23.01m; Kornel Rogaczewski, Telford AC U/11 long jump 3.17m; Kaci-Lee Trumper, Telford AC U/11 long jump 3.64m; Adam Lloyd, Telford AC, U/17 javelin 49.67m; Jamie Carter, Telford AC, senior javelin 46.94m; Dave Garrott, Telford AC, masters javelin 23.18m; Gregor Sukara-Fielding, Telford AC, senior pole vault 3.40m; Thomas Hotchkiss, Oswestry, U/15 triple jump 8.80m; Bradley Davies-Pugh, Shrewsbury AC, U/17 triple jump 12.47m; Ben Riekstins, Telford AC, senior long jump 5.95m

Massimo Wyatt, Oswestry, U/13 high jump 1.25m; Aidan Williams, Telford AC U/13 discus 14.72m; Helen Watson, Telford AC, Masters triple jump 7.76m; Tegan Stoddart, Telford AC, U/15 high jump 1.48m; Julia Rogaczewska, Telford AC, U/17 discus, 22.90m; Susan Hind, Telford AC, Masters discus, 15.89m.