Despite the searing heat which was a major factor at the English Schools Athletics Championships, Bedfordshire produced their best results for several years with a gold medal, three silvers and double bronze; and a total of 14 of the team of 22 placing in the top eight whilst posting 13 lifetime best performances between them.
The overall points total of 102 was the highest for a number of years whilst the junior boys were a mere half-point off winning the trophy in the category C competition for medium sized counties.
The undoubted star of the Bedfordshire team was Kayden Thomas who dominated the U16 Boys 100m Hurdles winning by a massive margin of four tenths of a second with a time of 12.72 sec. having run 12.58 in his heat.
Silver medals were won by Zaphaniah Bryan with a lifetime best of 2.07m in the Senior Boys High Jump and Harley Henry in the Senior Boys Triple Jump, his leap of 15.43m a frustrating 4 cm behind the winner.
Grace Nyaongo produced a huge personal best of 11.59m to take the bronze medal in the Inter Girls Triple Jump; whilst Emily Elphick threw 41.17m -2 metres more than ever before - on her final throw for a bronze in the Junior Girls Javelin.
4th places were earned by Mia Flynn 50.72m in the Inter Girls Hammer; Zach Ononye 11.35sec in the Junior Boys 100m two hundredths of a second behind 3rd place; whilst even closer was Ollie Weddell only one hundredth of a second behind third in the Inter Boys 3000m. Ken Ulohotse was 5th in the Junior Boys High Jump with a PB of 1.77m; Khyan Markland was also 5th in the Senior Boys 200m having set a PB of 21.78 sec in his heat; and Lois Fordham 5th in the Inter Girls Pole Vault;(3.10m) and Oscar Hyde 6th in the Junior Boys 200m (23.53sec).
To top off a successful weekend, the Junior Mixed Relay team consisting of Julia Paczkowska, Oscar Hyde, Adrielle Mutsekwa and Zack Ononye brought home the silver medals in the 4 x 100m
Full results:
