Two local athletes up for prestigious awards
Two Newbury athletes have been nominated for Athletics Weekly Readers' Choice Awards – and you can vote for them here.
Team Kennet javelin thrower Ben East is up for the British under-20 men's award following a stellar season that saw him throw 73.49m to win a silver medal in the British Championships, his first time making the step up to adult competition.
That mammoth throw also moved him up to eighth on the all-time UK junior rankings.
East has also competed in Cali, Colombia and was crowned champion at the England Throws Camp Throws Fest.
The 18-year-old has since moved to Loughborough University, where he'll combine a degree in mechanical engineering with training at the university's state-of-the art facilities.
"It's been a great season, it's been the most exciting and challenging so far, I can't wait for what's to come," he said.
Meanwhile, Newbury Athletic Club's Craig Beecham has been shortlisted in the British masters' male category.
During the course of 2022, Beecham broke both the indoor and outdoor M50 long jump records, with marks of 6.24m and 6.21m respectively.
In the process, he became European Champion at the European Indoor Masters Athletics Championships in Braga, Portugal and secured a World outdoor silver medal at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Tampere, Finland.
The indoor leap of 6.24m sees Beecham end 2022 ranked as the world indoor number one in his specialist event.
Not content with individual medals, Beecham helped the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams secure gold medals at the World Championships, and the 4x200m relay team come home with the silver medal at the European Championships.
On the domestic scene, Beecham won his fifth consecutive British Masters long jump title, as well as gaining medals in the 60m, 200m and triple jump.
Next year Beecham is hoping for more of the same at the upcoming World Indoor Masters Athletics Championships in Torun, Poland.
Beecham said: "It is such an incredible honour to have all the hard work and sacrifices recognised by being shortlisted for the Athletics Weekly awards.
"It is surreal to see my name in that list with some of the worlds greatest athletes.
"I had targeted the British record and a relay spot, but to end the season with five international medals and to sit on the top of the world rankings is more than I really dreamed of."
You can vote for both Beecham and East using the following link: https://athleticsweekly.com/athletics-news/aw-readers-choice-awards-2022-1039962397/
Voting closes on Thursday, November 17, with the winners announced next month.
