Northern Schools Inter Counties Track & Field Championships

Ruaridh Lang in action in the Senior Boys Discus at Gateshead Stadium (Photo by Alan Gardiner)

The Northern Schools Inter Counties Track and Field Championships, held at Gateshead Stadium on Saturday 15th June 2019, saw hosts Northumberland win by a clear margin of 168.50 points, from Cumbria, with close rivals Durham a further two points adrift, with Cleveland finishing fourth and last.

Amongst the victorious Northumberland squad were several athletes from Morpeth Harriers,
six of whom were on the day winners.
Five of those six recorded Field Event victories.

Junior Girl Alice Geoghegan was particularly outstanding, not only recording a Javelin victory,
with a best of 30.97m, which was also a new personal best, she also won the 300m,
where she already has an English Schools qualifying time.

On this occasion, although she was a little bit adrift of her best, she won
comfortably from Cleveland’s Madeline Gillis, posting a time of 42.51s.

Another Junior Girl winner was Lucy McConnell, who cleared 1.50m in the High Jump,
which was a new personal best by 10cm.

Although just a little bit adrift of his personal best, Ben Waterfield was a comfortable
​winner by a four second margin in the Intermediate Boys 800m, with his time of 2m02.78s.

Jessica Gardine in action in the Intermediate Girls Hammer at Gateshead Stadium (Photo by Alan Gardiner)

Back with the Field Events, and Ruaridh Lang, perhaps not unexpectedly,
won the Senior Boys Discus, with his best throw of 45.26m.

Jessica Gardiner won the Intermediate Girls Discus, where her best throw of 30.68m,
beat Cumbria’s Abigail Wright by a good five metres.

However, in her more specialised Hammer event, she came up against former North East Champion
​Saada Juma of Cleveland, but only lost out for victory by a margin of 73cm in a strong competition between the pair,
as she achieved an on the day best of 40.91m.

Another good Morpeth and Northumberland Field event result came from Junior Boy Nat Arkle, who won the Shot Putt, producing an on the day best of 11.40m, which was a Championship record, which may see the selectors take him into their considerations, when selecting the County team for the forthcoming English Schools Championships, being held in Birmingham in July.

For Arkle, it was around 13cm adrift of his personal best.
Although not wins, there were notable performances from Charlotte Earl, who was second in the Intermediate Girls Triple Jump with a best of 10.58m, just 8cm adrift of event winner and area colleague Lucy Errington,
Rowan Bennett, who was second in the Intermediate Boys 1500m (4m15.80s),
Mia Belton, who was third in the Junior Girls 100m (13.44s),

David Sanderson in action in the Intermediate Boys Discus at Gateshead Stadium (Photo by Alan Gardiner)

David Sanderson, who was third in the Intermediate Boys Discus (32.81m), and Amy Lott,
who finished third in a very tough Intermediate Girls 80m Hurdles, clocking a time of 12.24s.

Northumberland Team selectors now have till 25th June to finalise their English Schools Championship squad,
for which they are allowed a total of 24 athletes to represent them.

It now remains to be seen if any Morpeth Harriers have done enough
to satisfy their requirements, following these performances.

Inter Counties Results