The South East Schools Regional Combined Events championships took place at Kingston on the weekend of 27th-28th June and saw 5 Herts Phoenix athletes competing for Hertfordshire.

Two of the clubs promising young female athletes Millie Phelan – Intermediate Girl and Finolla Frederick – Junior Girl both from Broxbourne School performed extremely well with each finishing 3rd in their age category gaining qualification for the National Schools Combined Events championships in Bedford in September.

Millie was a member of the successful Hertfordshire winning team in the Intermediate Girls championships who will all go forward with a good chance of a medal at the Nationals in September. Millie performed well in all her 7 events but was particularly pleased with two new personal bests in Shot – 9.53 and Javelin 23.79. In her other events of the heptathlon, Millie achieved 12.79 in the 80m Hurdles, 1.58 in High Jump, 4.94 in Long Jump, 27.36 in the 200 and ran an excellent 800 in 2.30.95 in the scorching heat. This gave Millie a new personal best points total for the Heptathlon of 4176 and she showed that she has the potential to improve that by even more in September.

Finn achieved 3rd place in the Junior Girls championships with a Pentathlon total of 2715 which is very close to her PB of 2791 achieved earlier this year at the Essex Championships. In amassing this total Finn achieved 12.27 for 75m Hurdles, 6.92 for Shot, 1.54 for High Jump, 4.59 for Long Jump and 2.35.75 for the 800.

Three talented young male athletes also competed for Hertfordshire in the championships – Courtney Clay and Cameron Glass in the Junior Boys competition and George Herbert in the Intermediate boys competition.

Courtney finished 7th, Cameron finished 18th and George finished 11th with them all achieving a number of personal bests in the process.

Courtney’s points total for the Pentathlon of 2405 was a new PB and also included two other personal bests of 11.81 in the 80m Hurdles and 9.77 in Shot. In his other events Courtney achieved 5.39 for Long Jump, 1.74 for High Jump and 2.44.56 for the 800m.

Cameron also had a new personal best points total – 1950 and achieved 3 personal bests in 3 out of the 5 events of the pentathlon. His PBS were achieved in 80m Hurdles – 13.24, Shot – 6.45 and Long Jump – 5.98. In his other two events Cameron cleared a height of 1.47 in High Jump and ran his 800 in 2.47.18.

George was competing in his first ever octathlon and by achieving PBs in virtually all his events he showed that he has the potential to be a good combined eventer in the future. His results were 5.39 for Long Jump, 25.89 for Discus, 28.71 for Javelin, 55.64 for 400, 16.15 for 100m Hurdles, 1.62 for High Jump, 8.67 for Shot and 5.04.11 for the 1500.

Ian Burrows
Herts Schools Combined Events Team Manager