Charlotte hammers out a bronze

Young Newbury thrower makes a big mark at Bedford

NEWBURY Athletic Club’s Charlotte Payne threw another record when claiming the bronze medal in th e hammer at the England Athletics under 15 and 17 Championships at Bedford’s international stadium over the weekend.

Competing against top young athletes from the home nations, the under 15 girl from Cold Ash capped her first year in the age group with another personal best throw and Newbury AC club record of 46.62 metres to take her third place to winner Lauren Hill of Chesterfield AC and Wrexham’s Jade Williams in Saturday’s hammer.

They were in a 23-strong field in which the Newbury AC thrower made a good start with a throw in excess of 44 metres in round three, comfortably qualifying her for the eight-strong final.

She topped 45 metres to move into third place, remaining there until the sixth throw when Chelmsford’s Laura Runciman managed a throw of 46.52 metres. But determined to hang on to her bronze medal, Charlotte was the final competitor to throw and knew she needed to produce a new personal best to regain the spot and she entered the circle to throw the 3Kg hammer to a distance of 46.62 metres to claim the medal against a field in which most of the competitors were a year older.

Charlotte returned to the field on Sunday to finish a creditable eighth in the discus with her best throw of 30.40 metres.