Selection reflects indoor dominance (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Selection reflects indoor dominance

STRATFORD'S dominance in the Warwickshire Indoor Sports Hall League was reflected in the number of athletes chosen to represent Warwi-ckshire in the Sportshall Inter Regional final held in Worcester against Birmingham, Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and the home county.

This is a step up in class and the prize at stake was a place in the National finals held at the NIA in April.

The Under-13 boys team that contained Stratford athletes Jack Harrison, Oliver Murphy, Charlie Burn, Dan Davis, Andrew Pozzi, Callum Murray, Anthony Jarrett and Matthew French were among the pre-event favourites to win the age group.

However, with the match hinging on the final relay both Staffordshire and the eventual winners Birmingham came through to push the Warwickshire team back into third place.

Individual medals were won by Burn (high jump gold and four-lap bronze), Davis (six-lap and eight-lap paarlauf golds and vertical jump bronze), Jarrett (eight-lap paarlauf gold), Harrison (vertical jump gold and two-lap bronze), Pozzi (high jump bronze) and French (speed bounce gold).

The Under-13 girls were the surprise packet of the day as they deservedly won their age group by 30 points from Birmingham after a brilliant overall team effort.

Stratford were represented by Emma Laws, Emma Titcomb, Alice Burman, Elinor Ward and Catherine Washbrook and they will go on to represent Warwickshire in the finals.

Titcomb was the sole individual medal winner with a silver in the two-lap event.

Another team expected to win their age group were the Under-15 girls who had Kate O'Leary, Liz Weir, Olivia Ward and Kate Seccombe - all veterans of last year's team that made it to the finals - along with two Coventry girls in the side.

They were leading the competition going into the final events but, despite putting in a massive effort, they didn't possess any recognised throwers and couldn't quite hold on.

A strong Birmingham squad, including Jade Surman, the UK's leading Under-15 multi-eventer, capitalise on this handicap and came from behind to snatch victory in the 4 x 2 lap relay and with it the match.

Despite the disappointment in the team event the girls were successful as individuals.

Competitions are based on an "All-Rounder" competition, whereby the team of six has to all compete in a run, throw and jump plus a relay.

Emma Seccombe led the way by winning silver in the individual competition against 34 other competitors, a single point behind Surman. Kate was fourth Liz ninth and Olivia finished 18 th.

Individual medal winners were Emma Seccombe (four-lap and eight-lap paarlauf golds, speed bounce silver, standing long jump bronze), Kate O'Leary (speed bounce and eight-lap paarlauf gold) and Liz Weir (vertical jump bronze).

The Under-15 boys made it through to the finals with a stunning victory in their age group.

Stratford's Chris Bartlett, Stefan Ellis and Mark Everett combined with two lads from Coventry and one from Rugby to eventually win it by 20 points. With the match score ebbing and flowing throughout the afternoon the performances in the last field event, the standing triple jump, gave Warwickshire sufficient points to push their noses in front, even after finishing second in the 4 x 2 lap relay.

Ellis completed a superb day by finishing third in the individual competition, Bartlett was 12th and Everett 23rd.

The holidaying Everett will miss out on the National Finals but Ellis and Bartlett will now travel with the Warwickshire team in April.

Individual medal winners were Ellis (standing triple jump silver, four-lap bronze), Everett (eight-lap paarlauf gold) and Bartlett (standing triple jump bronze).

Mike Turner was the Under-13 team manager, while Paul Bearman, who guided the Under -15s said: "It's great to be going back to the NIA again with the two teams and we're really proud of the contribution the Stratford athletes have again made to the county team.

"It's a massive occasion competing in a national competition and it will be a day for the youngsters to reme-mber and enjoy."