The annual Hertfordshire indoor championships took place this weekend with Herts Phoenix athletes to the fore once again.  For many it was the first chance to compete during winter training and for others a chance to stake their claim for a place in the county team for next week's U17/Senior inter-county match at the same venue.  Click here for results.

The U15 girls provided several multiple medallists including Natasha Hadley (Presdales) who took two gold medals in the 60m and Shot, the latter with a championship best performance of 9.74m and a silver in the 60mH with 9.91s.  That race was won by recent national finalist Natalie Allen (Monks Walk) who again bettered her personal best to 9.20 which takes her to 3rd in the UK rankings.  Megan Breen also cleaned up with two silver and a bronze medal in the 200m, 400m and 800m respectively, showing her talent and versatility over the three distances.

The U15 boys provided two champions with Liam Dee taking the 800m in a new championship best performance of 2.05.34s and Alex Curran taking the 200m with another championship best performance of 25.56s.

In the U17 age group the women had a champion in the Shot with Sarah Miller (Stanborough) throwing 8.59m, two silver medallist with Ella Lloyd (Bishops) taking second in the 800m after an excellent race and Olivia Harry with 3.65m in the long jump to add to her bronze in the 60mH.

For the men Simon Wake (Richard Hale) took the 400m gold with a new personal best of 51.97s followed in by Richard Sackey (Stanborough) in his first ever 400m taking silver and showing great determination in a photo finish with 52.21s. Sam Milner won the high jump with an excellent 1.78m and Edward Shepherd took Gold in the 1500m with 4.11.58 and silver in the 800m in another tight race.

The U20 women dominated their age group with gold medal winners in all track events.  Claire Humphries (Sir Freds)  with a new Championship best in the 60mH of 8.81s followed in by Emily Stevens (Uni Hertfordshire) and Millie Phelan (Broxbourne) in silver and Bronze positions.  Emily then took the 200m gold in 26.90s and Deborah Willis (Presdales) and Rebecca Hore (Parmiters) provided a 1-2 in the 400m with 59.17 and 61.90s respectively.  Hannah Lloyd (Richard Hale), running up a distance, won the 800m in a new PB of 2.23.52s and Millie Phelan took the Gold medals in both the Long Jump, with a championship best of 5.01m and shot put with 9.65m.   Finally Charlotte Cullen (Richard Hale) retained her 60m title with 8.16s.

For the U20 men Leo Lundgrbn took the triple jump gold with a solid season opener of 13.50m and Ben Parry, running down a distance over 400m took the bronze with a time of 53.42s.

For the senior women the star was Haley Kruse who took 4 gold medals showing her combined events pedigree – the 60mH, long jump, shot put and finally High Jump in a new championship best of 1.61m.  Danielle Currie (Brunel University) took the triple jump Gold with 9.99m, while for the senior men Matt Hamilton took two gold medals in the 200m and 400m with times of 23.16s and 49.6s, a new pb,  respectively.

Jon Humphries