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Success for Newbury AC’s young guns in Birmingham




At the England Athletics Championships in Birmingham last weekend, Newbury AC had six Field Events athletes competing, with one triple jumper and five hammer throwers.

All six made the final in their events, with two of them bringing home medals.

Aged only 16, Waheeda Yevedzo could easily have been overawed competing in the Under-20 Triple Jump, competing against the best 17, 18 and 19 year olds in the country.

Fin Hanham with his medal and Newbury throws coach Bob Broadbridge
Fin Hanham with his medal and Newbury throws coach Bob Broadbridge

Instead, she took it all in her stride and jumped very close to her best ever, to take sixth place with 11.38m.

Waheeda will be in the same age group for two more years, and if she continues to improve under the coaching of Craig Beecham, she will prove difficult to beat.

Newbury AC’s throws group has a long history of producing National level throwers.

There has been at least 1 thrower from the group at each of the last 20 English Schools Championships, but to have five hammer throwers at these Championships, and two medal winners is unprecedented.

Harry Ricketts was the first medallist, taking silver in the Men’s Under-23 Hammer with a best of 58.68m.

Harry has thrown consistently well this year, but has so far not been able to overtake his long time rival Owen Merrett from Yate, who took the gold.

Fin Hanham won the Bronze medal in the Under-20 Hammer, with a best of 60.01m, losing narrowly to the last two English Schools Champions.

Fin couldn’t quite find his best form, but was very happy to have finished on the podium.

In the same event, Billy Dickinson finished a promising 7th, with a best of 49.37m despite nursing quite a bad knee injury.

Helen Broadbridge, a winner of the Under-15 Championships back in 2006, has enjoyed a return to form over the last couple of years and finished sixth in the Senior Women’s Hammer with a best of 55.64m.

Finally, Clemmie Harris finished seventh in the Women’s U20 Hammer with her best ever throw of 44.36m.

Clemmie showed a real competitive edge, beating four athletes who were ranked above her and producing her best when it really mattered.



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