WOODRUSH High School pupil Chris McLeod produced a fantastic performance to win a gold medal in the intermediate boys’ 3,000m at the prestigious Mason Trophy competition.
The Mason Trophy is an inter-county schools athletics event for junior (year 8/9) and intermediate (year 10/11) age groups and these athletes were selected following schools, district and county competitions.
Taking place on Saturday at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium, the hot and humid conditions certainly tested everyone involved.
Ten counties took part including Manchester, Cheshire, Staffordshire, West Midlands, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire.
Although Hereford and Worcestershire did not fare as well in the team competition, there were some fantastic individual results including three gold medals.
McLeod won gold in a fantastic time of 8:57.95 – a qualifying time for the English Schools’ Athletics Association Championships – the pinnacle of the schools’ athletics scene.
It is not the first time he has met the ESAA standard but to do so in such hot conditions is a testament to his grit, determination and talent.
Event newcomer Orla Walker (Bromsgrove School) won the intermediate girls’ 1,500m steeplechase in 5:37.50.
Emma Sherwood of Hagley RCHS won gold in the intermediate girls’ high jump, clearing 1.66m (another English Schools’ entry standard).
Elsewhere, Josh Pearson of St Augustine’s Catholic High School, Redditch, won silver in the intermediate boys’ 400m in a time of 50.61secs.
Alvechurch Middle School pupil Lily Saxon clocked a personal best 4:41.11 to win bronze in the junior girls’ 1,500m and qualify for the English Schools’, whilst Matt Griffin of RSA Arrow Vale Academy won bronze in the junior boys’ 80m hurdles in a time of 12.47secs.
The H&W junior girls’ team scooped bronze in the 4x100m relay in an English Schools’ entry time of 51.30secs.
The team featured Hannah Sahota (Bromsgrove School), Nikita Gotthardt-Mills (Ridgeway Academy, Redditch), Sarah-Jane Ollis (The Chase School, Malvern) and Lottie Atkinson (Royal Grammar School, Worcester).
A total of eight ESAA entry standards were achieved by Hereford & Worcestershire athletes. The performances from the Mason Trophy help selectors decide which athletes will be invited to represent Hereford and Worcestershire Schools at the New Balance English Schools’ Track & Field Championships in early July.
