Golds galore and county record for Swindon Harriers at Wiltshire Championships

There was a new county record in the hammer throw as Swindon Harriers enjoyed a fine weekend at the Wiltshire Championships.

Harry Ricketts broke the Wiltshire record in the senior men's hammer event with a stunning throw of 58.50 metres at the event taking place at the County Ground last weekend.

The 19-year-old was fresh off of claiming his first national title at the British Universities Championships and he was the highlight of 27 gold medals won by Swindon.

Holly Scott won the under-17 women's hammer gold for the third successive time with a magnificent 46.06-metre throw, on top of retaining both the under-15 girl’s javelin and discus.

There were plenty of double victories, including for Arthur Manton-Haskell in the under-13 boy's javelin and discus; Oshotare Kadiri won both the under-17s long and triple jumps; Delleah Belgrave in the under-20s 100 metres and long jump; as well as her younger sister Laila-Jae Belgrave winning the under-17s 80-metre hurdles and 100 metres.

Stiff intra-club competition was going on in the under-15 girl’s hammer with Lottie Harding, who has already thrown a personal best of 39.30 metres in Wolverhampton last month to go second in the South West Rankins, lifting the title with a throw of 36.23 metres.

Lowri Prosser went home with three medals as he won gold in the under-13s 200 metres and 70-metre hurdles, along with a silver medal in the long jump.

Reigning England Athletics 100m bronze medallist Jonathan Dumbutshena marked his progression into the under 17s age group with a fine 100- and 200-metre double, posting a lifetime best of 11.06 in the former.

Emerging star Tamiah Roswell impressed with wins in the under-13s 100 metres and long jump events while Al Virgilio enjoyed a golden double in the under-17s 400 metres and 800 metres.

In the 800-metre races, there were some terrific wins from Douglas Kirby and Pippa Wall in the under-13s age group, plus Jesse Bryant and Freya McMeeking in the under-15s.

McMeeking’s win was one of the most exciting of the meeting with just 0.35 seconds separating the top three.

Harry Woods smashed his personal best to lift the senior men’s title in addition to the silver he won in the 3000 metres so a rewarding weekend for him.

Elliot Cox continued his fine start to the season with an emphatic victory in the under-15s 80-metre hurdles having also won silver with a personal best in the 100 metres.